Tuesday 26 April 2016

Greek Easter Cookies, Κουλουράκια

Yum
In preparation for Greek Easter (May 1st), I made κουλουράκια, Greek Easter cookies, and τσουρέκια, Greek Easter bread, AND even dyed a few eggs—I used natural dyes instead of the toxic packaged dyes, and if you are interested in the process just pop me a comment and I’ll give you the “recipe” for that.

Is it wrong to say that I look forward to Easter mainly for the desserts/sweets? Especially because I don’t eat meat, and haven’t eaten it for over 15 years—my grandma is still horrified over this fact by the way: think My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

For this post I will be focusing on the κουλουράκια (and the next post will be on τσουρέκια). And don’t worry if you have never made these cookies before. The recipe is simple and easy, and really, the hardest part is waiting for the cookies to bake.

Two quick points:
1. Don’t be alarmed by the number of cookies this recipe yields. It may seem like a lot, but trust me, they will be eaten in no time—especially if you share them with your friends and family. If you are still concerned, then just half the ingredients.
2. As you may already know, I always prefer my cookies to be soft and chewy. So if you are looking for a recipe that yields crumbly, crunchy, biscuit-type κουλουράκια, I’m sorry but this isn’t the recipe for you.


Greek Easter Cookies, Κουλουράκια

Makes about 50 cookies

Ingredients
1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1 ½ cup Sugar
3 Eggs
½ cup Orange Juice
6 cups Flour
½ tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder

Glaze
2 Egg Yolks + 1 tbsp Milk

Method
1. Make sure the eggs and OJ are room temp. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F, and line your baking trays with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar. Beat until your mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, whilst beating, making sure that each one is fully incorporated in the mixture. Then add the OJ and mix.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour with the leavening agents. Then add it, a little at a time, to your wet ingredients. Continue to mix until everything is combined and you have a soft dough.
5. Scoop your dough (I used about a tablespoon) and roll it into a chord. Then form the cookies in whatever shape you like. Place the cookies on your baking tray and leave enough space in between them.
6. In a mug or small bowl, combine the egg yolks and milk, and mix with a fork. Then use a pastry brush to glaze the tops of the cookies with the mixture.
7. Place in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are nice and golden. Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy!


TIP: always bake a test cookie just to make sure your oven is at the right temperature and the size of the cookie (remember, these cookies rise) is perfect






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