Kourapiedes Greek Biscuits Recipes

KOURABIEDES (GREECE): WALNUT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the walnuts until golden brown and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then chop about half of the nuts (you should have about 1/2 cup chopped). Pulse the remaining nuts in the food processor until finely ground (about 1/4 cup ground).
• Stir the flour, baking powder, salt and nuts together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolk, brandy and vanilla extract together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture gets light and fluffy, about 10 minutes.
• At low speed, stir in the nut mixture to make a crumbly dough. Cover the bowl and set dough aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or coat with nonstick spray.
• With a tablespoon, scoop out 1-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls between the palms of your hands. Pinch the ends of the balls to make a football shape. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies set and start to brown, about 18 minutes.
• Remove cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle them lightly with the orange water. (If you don't have a brush, simply dip your fingers into the water and flick it over the cookies a few times.) Take care not to douse them, just enough for them to carry the scent of flowers.
• Put the confectioners' sugar in a bag, and add 5 to 6 of the warm cookies to it. Very gently toss the cookies to coat with sugar. Remove them from the bag and cool cookies on a rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve.
• Busy baker's tips: Dough can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Baked cookies can be wrapped in plastic, then aluminum foil, for up to 2 weeks. To serve, let cookies come to room temperature before dusting with confectioners' sugar.
• Cook's Note: If you can't find orange flower water, try specialty stores or online.
• Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

KOURABIEDES I

Steps:

• Sift flour with baking powder. Set aside.
• Cream butter and gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg yolk, brandy and vanilla. Beat again until very light. Stir in almonds.
• Blend in flour mixture, mix to form a soft, smooth dough. Chill 30 minutes or until it can be handled easily.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C).
• Shape level tablespoonfuls of dough into crescent-shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Insert whole clove into center of each. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until light...do not brown. Cool on rack. Dust generously 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.

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.

KOURAPIEDES (GREEK BISCUITS)

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180c and line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Beat the butter for 8-10mins until very pale and thick.
• Add the 2 tbsp icing sugar and beat well again.
• Add the egg yolk and vanilla and whisk until incorporated, then mix in the brandy.
• Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until you have a thick dough (it will be difficult to mix with an electric mixer at this stage).
• Place the mixtuer in plastic wrap and refridgerate for 30 minutes.
• Form the dough into small balls (about the size of cherry tomatoes) and put them on a baking tray, leaving a reasonable (but not excessive) amount of room between each ball.
• Bake for approximately 20 mins or until they are lightly golden.
• Remove from oven and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line another tray with baking paper and sprinkle with half of the icing sugar.
• Place the slightly cooled biscuits in a single layer on top of the icing sugar and sprinkle the remaining icing sugar on top.
• Store in an airtight container.

KOURABIEDES (GREEK COOKIES)

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium heat, bring to a boil and stir occasionally.
• Remove and allow to stand until foam forms on top.
• Remove foam with spoon and gently pour into a bowl leaving sediment in pot.
• Place bowl in refrigerator until butter is firm, but not hard.
• then beat until very light and creamy add 1 cup sugar, egg yolk and anisette.
• Continue to beat, add flour 1 cup at a time working last cup by hand.
• Dough should be soft but not sticky if needed add the extra flour a little at a time.
• Form into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F degrees.
• Cookies will be set but not brown.
• Sift half of the powdered sugar on a large sheet of waxed paper.
• Place warm cookie on sugar and sift rest of powdered sugar on top and sides.
• Cool thoroughly before serving.