Citrus Spice Cookie Twists Koulourakia Portokaliou Recipes

IRENE'S SWEET KOULOURAKIA

Steps:

• All the ingredients should be at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter for 5 minutes in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar to the mixture and beat another 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs and beat until blended. Add the orange juice and the vanilla extract.
• In a large bowl combine the baking powder and baking soda with about 1 cup of flour and stir in the egg mixture slowly. Add the remaining cups of flour gradually. The dough is ready when it leaves the sides of your mixing bowl completely. The dough is soft and pliable.
• Using a Swedish meatball scoop, begin cutting balls out of the dough. Roll out the dough balls in long rope like portions, fold over in half and twist. Place the cookies on a greased baking pan.
• Beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl to make the glaze. Brush the cookies on the pan with the glaze and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.

GREEK HONEY AND ANISE TWISTS (KOULOURAKIA)

Steps:

• Mix honey, 2 tablespoons liqueur and juice in small bowl. Set glaze aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter baking sheets. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons liqueur, aniseed and lemon peel. Gradually mix in dry ingredients.
• Working with 1 tablespoon dough at a time, roll dough between palms and work surface into 7-inch ropes. Form into bow ties or twists. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Brush glaze over cookies. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks. Lightly brush cookies again with glaze. Cool. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)

ORANGE COOKIES (KOULOURAKIA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread walnuts in a single layer on a ungreased cookie sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even toasting. Remove from oven and let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine flour baking powder, baking soda, cloves. Set aside.
• In a food processor (or blender), combine the lemon and orange zest with the sugar. Process for several minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides. You want the zest to be chopped very fine and well incorporated into the sugar. Add the walnuts and canola oil and continue processing until the walnuts have been pureed into the sugar. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Place the butter into the food processor and mix for a minute until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the sugar, zest, walnut mixture, egg and egg yolk and either brandy or juice. Process just until these ingredients are well mixed into the butter.
• Gradually add in the flour, pulsing quickly after each addition. Use as little mixing time at this point as over-processing the dough toughens the cookie. Once mixed, divide dough into two balls, wrap each ball in wax paper and place in fridge for 90 minutes or longer.
• Preheat (or reheat) oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets with a light brush of oil or cooking spray.
• Take one ball of dough and split in half. Return half to fridge while working with the other. With the half you are working with, pinch off a ball of dough about the size of a shelled walnut. Quickly roll into a rope about 4 to 6 inches long. Ropes can be shaped into rings, horseshoes or an 'S.' Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. If the dough warms and becomes difficult to handle, return it to the fridge and continue working with another piece of well-chilled dough.
• Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they are browned on the edges and just a little golden on the tops. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 2 or 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, dust with powdered sugar.

KOULOURAKIA (GREEK SESAME TWIST COOKIES)

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Grease a cookie sheet/s.
• In a bowl using an electric mixer beat 1/2 cup butter, 6 tablespoons butter, oil and orange zest until very well blended (about 4 minutes).
• Add in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until blended (about 2 minutes).
• In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add into the creamed ingredients alternately with the orange juice.
• Divide the dough into six balls.
• Roll out one piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into about a 15-inch long rope.
• Fold rope lengthwise in half.
• Twist folded rope 4-5 times.
• Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the cookies with egg glaze and then sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool completely before storing.

KOULOURAKIA (GREEK BUTTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter& sugar until very light& fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, milk, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon& baking soda; mix well.
• Gradually add flour, about 1 cup at a time, until dough is no longer sticky (dough should not stick to your hands, but should not be too dry).
• Dough should be easy to handle without chilling.
• Take a 1" lump of dough, and roll into a 6" log on work surface.
• Sprinkle a few sesame seeds on work surface; roll log over seeds.
• Form log into a ring or twist; place on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
• Brush each ring or twist with egg white.
• Bake 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• Store in airtight container.