Melomakarona Recipe By Tasty Food

MELOMAKARONA RECIPE (GREEK CHRISTMAS HONEY COOKIES)

Steps:

• To prepare this melomakarona recipe start by making the syrup first. In a pot add all the ingredients for the syrup, besides the honey and bring to the boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and remove from the stove. Stir in the honey and set aside to cool completely.
• Prepare the dough for the melomakarona. In a bowl add the semolina, flour and baking powder and mix with a whisk to combine.
• In another large bowl add the orange juice, the cognac, the sugar and spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, vanilla) and mix. Add the baking soda and whisk immediately for 5-10 seconds until the ingredients combine and the baking soda dissolves and starts to foam. Pour in the bowl the water, the oil, the orange zest and honey and whisk to combine.
• Now it's time to combine the two mixtures. Add the mixed flour, semolina and baking powder (from step 2) in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients from step 3 and start kneading the dough for the melomakarona. Knead the dough for the melomakarona using your hands, until the ingredients combine and the dough is smooth and soft and slightly sticky. Be careful not to overwork the dough as they will become tough.
• . Layer the bottom of 4 large baking trays with parchment paper and start shaping the melomakarona. Pinch a portion of dough about the size of a walnut - 30g / 1oz and shape with your palms into a smooth oblong shape, like a small egg. Place on the baking tray, push lightly the top with a fork and pierce three times on top about half way through the dough. Continue with the rest of the dough.
• Depending on how large on oven you have when your first two trays are ready you can start baking them. Place the baking trays with the melomakarona in the oven and bake for approx. 15-20 minutes, until the melomakarona are lightly and evenly browned and cooked through. If you've made them bigger, you'll need to bump up the cooking time!!
• When the melomakarona come out of the oven, dip them immediately in the cold syrup, flipping them with a slotted spoon to absorb the syrup for approx. 10-20 seconds, depending on how syrupy you like them. Remove the cookies using a slotted spoon, place on a platter and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
• While you are dipping your first couple of tray in the syrup add the next two in the oven to bake. Don't forget to set your timer!!
• Store the melomakarona at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep for all your Christmas Holidays!

MELOMAKARONA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Cool completely. , Meanwhile, for cookies, in a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar and oil until blended. Beat in Cognac, orange juice and honey. In another bowl, whisk flour, orange zest, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually beat into sugar mixture., Shape tablespoons of dough into 1-in.-thick ovals. Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks., Float and turn warm cookies in syrup about 10 seconds; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; sprinkle with walnuts. Let stand until set. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers.

MELOMAKARONA (A GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIE)

Steps:

• Put the corn oil, butter, beer (or orange juice), cinnamon, cloves, orange peel and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until they are thoroughly blended.
• Sift about one cup of flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt and blend into the oil mixture.
• Add the semolina, a cup at a time, into this mixture.
• Add enough of the remaining flour, a cup at a time, until you get a rather firm dough (you may need a bit more or less than the amount of flour mentioned in the ingredients list).
• Use your hands to do the mixing, as an electric mixer will be useless after the first two or three cups of flour have been added.
• Roll the dough into cylinders, about two inches long and one inch in diameter, flatten them with your hands, and place them on cookie sheets that have been greased with a little olive oil.
• Bake at 350 degree Fahrenheit for half an hour.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and pour hot syrup over them.
• Lay the cookies out in a rimmed baking pan large enough to contain them and pour the hot syrup over the cookies, sprinkle them with the chopped walnuts and let them soak overnight.
• (Alternatively, if you do not have enough rimmed baking sheets to accommodate all the cookies, you can dip them in batches directly into the hot syrup - keeping the syrup at the lowest possible simmer - and allow to soak in the syrup for 8-10 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon).
• For the syrup: mix the sugar, honey and water, and bring to a boil.
• Cook on low heat for four minutes and skim off the foam that forms on top.
• The next day put them on your prettiest platter, sprinkle each layer evenly with the finely chopped walnuts and wrap with plastic wrap (or put in an airtight container) and serve.
• These are great keepers and will last for months (my Mom's 'big' batches sometimes made it nearly up until Easter!).

MELOMAKARONA

Steps:

• For the syrup: Stir to combine the sugar, honey, whole cloves, cinnamon stick and orange zest with 1 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Set aside at room temperature until cooled completely, about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; set aside.
• For the dough: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the olive oil, vegetable oil, sugar, orange juice, honey and 1/4 cup water in another large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add the dry ingredients and mix with your hands, without overworking the dough, until slightly sticky but soft and smooth.
• Grab about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the dough (about 1 ounce) and form it into an oval-shape cookie about 1/2 inch thick. Press the top of the cookie gently on a wire rack to create a diamond pattern then place it, pattern-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Bake until the cookies are lightly brown, about 25 minutes. Immediately transfer one cookie at a time to the cooled syrup, flipping a couple of times with a slotted spoon, just until absorbed and fully coated, 5 to 10 seconds. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the cookies to a serving platter.
• For the topping: Immediately sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the soaked cookies.

MELOMAKARONA RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the syrup: Add the sugar, salt, lemon juice, honey, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cold water to a small pot. Whisk to combine, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the syrup thickens slightly, 25-30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the syrup cool completely.
• Make the melomakarona: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12 x 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add the baking soda and whisk for about 20 seconds, until the batter lightens in color and thickens slightly. Add the olive oil, canola oil, cold water, and honey and whisk until thoroughly combined.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated, making sure not to overmix the dough.
• Using a rounded tablespoon measure, divide the dough into 24 equal portions. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball, then create an oval shape by gently squeezing two opposite sides in and rounding out the edges. Place the melomakarona on the prepared baking sheet and press down the tops to flatten. Using a fork, poke 4 sets of holes into each melomakarona, pushing only halfway through the dough.
• Bake the melomakarona for 20-25 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Place 4 melomakarona at a time in the cooled syrup. Soak for 15 seconds on each side, then return to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining melomakarona. Using a tablespoon, pour the remaining syrup over each melomakarona. It will look like there is too much syrup, but the melomakarona will continue to absorb it as they rest. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature overnight.
• Uncover the pan and sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top of the melomakarona. Place each melomakarona in a paper cupcake liner, if desired, then arrange on a platter.
• Enjoy!

MELOMAKARONA (GREEK HONEY COOKIES)

Steps:

• COOKIES ~.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat together first 4 ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, cloves, and baking soda 3 times.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients to the oil mixture and knead gently.
• Pinch off 2 1/2 tablespoons portions of dough and form into little flat oblongs (football shapes). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2-inches apart.
• Bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
• SYRUP ~.
• Boil honey, sugar, water, and cinnamon for 5 minutes.
• Pour syrup over hot melomakarona cookies.
• Allow to soak for 15 minutes, take them out of the syrup and place on large plate.
• Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts.