these delicious little biscuits, full of exotic flavors and coated with syrup, walnuts and ground cinnamon are a traditional Christmas treat in homes all over Greece and the Greek Islands
Ingredients:
Biscuit
2.75lbs (1200gms) all-purpose flour
2 tbsps. honey
half a cup of caster sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup of fine semolina
half a cup of coarsely ground walnuts
2 cups of fresh orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tbsp. cinnamon and clove powder
2 cups of olive oil
Coating
2 cups of water
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of honey
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup of ground walnuts
Cooking Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350F, Gas Mark 4, 180C)
Put the sugar, olive oil and honey into a large bowl and beat together
Add the clove, cinnamon and orange rind and beat in with the other ingredients in the bowl
Dilute the baking powder and baking soda with the fruit juice then add to the mixture in the bowl along with the walnuts and semolina, beating all the time
Gradually add the flour to form a soft dough
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow the dough to stand for at least 30 minutes
Divide the dough into pieces that will form oblong rounds like small eggs and place on a lightly greased baking sheet
Cook the biscuits in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes or until they are a golden brown in color
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack
To make the syrup, blend together the water, honey and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil for about 10 minutes
Reduce the heat and dip the biscuits in the syrup for about a minute then remove with a perforated spoon and place on a serving plate
Before serving sprinkle the melomakararona with walnuts and ground cinnamon