Greek Melomakarona

In Greece we have many different sweets for Christmas. I have shown you last year the "Kourampiedes". So this year an other idea for Christmas, I will show you "Melomakarona". These are traditional greek sweets with honey syrup and many spices.


What do you need:

- 240gr. cotton seed oil
- 240 g. olive oil 
- 50 g. cognac
- 160 g. fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 200 g. sugar
- 1 tsp carnation
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Zest of 2 oranges unwaxed
- 900 g. Flour for All Crystals Uses
- 2 tsp Mpeikin Powder Crystals
     
For the syrup:

- 400 g. sugar
- 400 g. water
- 400 g. thyme honey
- ½ lemon juice
- ground pistachio or walnut

Sift the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Put the oil, seed oil, brandy, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest. Dissolve the soda in the juice and pour the mixture. Mix with wire, pour in the flour and mix gently to get the mixture.

Not pester the mixture too. The dough should be soft and oily. I get dough into walnut size and conjure small melomakarona. The array on trays. Light make plans with a fork on the surface and bake for about 25 minutes in a well preheated oven at 160o C air, well browned and crisp. Let cool thoroughly, completely.

For the syrup Put all ingredients in a saucepan and by the time you come to a boil, boil 3 '. Skim foam. Allow the syrup to a low temperature at 1 and members melomakarona. The dip in syrup about 20 'on each side. Sprinkle with peanut or walnut.

Tips
 
- Mold melomakarona very small, so that not much time chreiazonati myeloma. If creatures large, need more time cooking and more myeloma.
- The dough should be soft and oily. Once you add the flour and get into the dough and does not appear, then just stop kneading!
- For Syruping: airing well melomakarona, the dip in syrup simmering (the lowest temperature of the kitchen) and immediately sprinkle with nuts or peanut.