Kourambies Greek Christmas Cookies With Cashew Nuts Recipes

KOURAMBIES (GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIES) WITH CASHEW NUTS

Steps:

• Beat the butter with the icing sugar with a whisker or kitchen machine for 15-20 until they become creamy and fluffy (you will notice that the volume will be doubled).
• Sift the flour and baking powder.
• Add flour mixture to the butter and stir with the hand until all the flour is absorbed. You will notice that the dough will become very fragile and it should be like that.
• Add the nuts and the rum (or brandy) and continue mixing well with your hand.
• The right kourambies dough should just hold itself together.
• Form round cookies 1 inch diameter and press them softly with your finger at the top. Don't worry if it gets easily destroyed. That's the way it should be. Apply small pressure and everything will go fine :).
• Place in a baking sheet (keep some distance between them as they will rise softly).
• Bake in preheated oven at 200°F (390°F) for 15 minutes. They should become lightly golden. I like mine baked until golden brown, but the traditional ones shouldn't have color. Try for yourself and pick your favorite.
• Let them cool completely. Arrange a layer in a dish and sift icing sugar on top. Repeat with the next layer. The amount of icing sugar really depends on your taste. I recommend a 3mm layer of icing sugar on top but again find your favorite quantity.
• Keep them airtight because they become soft very easily when left exposed in humidity and that's something terrible for a kourambies cookie.
• This recipe requires some kitchen experience so don't be easily disappointed if at first you don't succeed.

KOURAMBIEDES (A GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIE)

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer for 15 minutes, until it begins to turn white. Mix in the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add the egg yolks, the brandy, vanilla extract, and gradually add the flour, until you have a dough that is neither too soft nor too firm (you may need to add slightly more than the amount I've written); stir in the almonds.
• Let the dough stand for an hour at room temperature, covered with a clean dish towel.
• Next, with small amounts (about 1 1/2 teaspoons of dough), shape small rounds by gently rolling the dough around between the palms of your hands.
• Arrange the round cookies on a buttered pan and flatten ever so slightly on top with your hand.
• Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.
• Immediately upon removing the kourambiedes from the oven, sprinkle them with rose water (or orange water or ouzo. I do this by putting a small amount of the liquid in a bowl, wetting my fingertips, and shaking the droplets over the hot cookies a few times. The scented water or ouzo gives the cookies a very delicate fragrance).
• Roll the hot cookies in icing sugar to cover and let cool.
• When cool, arrange on a pretty holiday platter, sieving more icing sugar between the cookie layers to give a snowdrift effect.