Greek Butter Recipes

GREEK BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and egg until smooth.
• Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
• Blend in the flour to form a dough. You may have to knead it by hand at the end.
• Take about a teaspoon of dough at a time and roll it into balls, logs or S shapes.
• Place cookies 1 to 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned and firm.
• Allow cookies to cool completely.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar.

GREEK BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Blend in the flour to form a dough. you may have to knead by hand at the end. Take about a teaspoon of dough at a time and roll into balls, logs or 'S' shapes. Place cookies 1 to 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned and firm. Allow cookies to cool completely before dusting with confectioners' sugar.

GREEK BUTTER COOKIES (KOURABIEDES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together flour, almonds, confectioners' sugar, and salt into a medium bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and honey on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest. (It may not come together fully until you add flour mixture.) Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with mastiha.
• Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough; roll into a ball. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely. Roll cookies in confectioners' sugar until thoroughly coated. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

GIGANTES PLAKI

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain, rinse, then place in a pan covered with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then simmer for approx 50 mins until slightly tender but not soft. Drain, then set aside.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, tip in the onion and garlic, then cook over a medium heat for 10 mins until softened but not browned. Add the tomato purée, cook for a further min, add remaining ingredients, then simmer for 2-3 mins. Season generously, then stir in the beans. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, then bake for approximately 1 hr, uncovered and without stirring, until the beans are tender. The beans will absorb all the fabulous flavours and the sauce will thicken. Allow to cool, then scatter with parsley and drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve.

GREEK BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix the garlic, oregano, dill and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
• Beat in the softened butter until well combined.
• Put the mixture on a piece of wax paper and roll it into a tube.
• Refrigerate for at least three hours to allow the flavours to blend.
• Allow the butter to come to room temperature before serving, so that it will spread easier.

GREEK BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add egg, vanilla, baking powder, 4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar and walnuts. Add half the flour, and mix well.
• Turn dough onto a board or counter. Knead in the remaining flour until the mixture is smooth and no longer sticky. Divide dough into quarters, and roll one-quarter into a log about an inch in diameter. Cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Put the pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Bake cookies 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool, and then dust generously with confectioners' sugar.

KOURABIEDES (GREEK BUTTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually stir into butter mixture until blended (mixture will be crumbly). , Shape heaping tablespoons of dough into crescents. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool 15 minutes., Place remaining sugar in a small bowl. Toss slightly cooled cookies in sugar; return cookies to wire rack to cool completely. , Toss cookies in sugar once more before serving. Store in an airtight container, adding any remaining confectioners' sugar to cover cookies.

FRAN'S GREEK BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar gradually cream until smooth. Blend in flour. Stir in nuts, water, and vanilla. Mix well.
• Shape into small 1 inch balls, press down while pressing in 1 whole clove on ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. While still warm roll into confectioners' sugar. If desired roll again when cooled.