Health

Recipe: Melomakarona (Orange Spice Cookies)

By Aglaia Kremezi

If you manage to resist eating these fast, they will get even better with time.

Makes about 40 cookies

For the dough:
    • 1 1⁄4 cups light olive oil (not extra virgin)
    • 1⁄3 cup sugar
    • grated zest of 1 orange
    • 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
    • 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 1⁄2 cups fine semolina
    • 1⁄2 cup brandy
    • grated zest of 1 lemon
    • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
    •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the filling or topping (optional)
    • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts or 1 cup, for sprinkling
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or 2 teaspoons, for sprinkling

For the syrup:
    •1 cup sugar
    •1 cup honey
    •1 1⁄2 cups water

In a large bowl, beat the oil and sugar with an electric mixer until blended. Beat in the orange zest and juice. In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and the baking powder. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the oil mixture. Beat in the semolina, brandy, lemon zest, cloves and cinnamon. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding 1 cup or more flour as necessary to obtain a smooth, soft, oily dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make the filling, if you are using it, by combining the walnuts and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Take pieces of dough the size of a small egg and roll with your hands into ovals, about 2 1/2 inches long. If you are stuffing them, push three fingers into the bottom of each cookie to make an opening, and stuff with 1 teaspoon of the filling; reserve the remaining filling. Press the dough to close the opening. Slightly flatten each cookie and if you like, make an indentation on the top with the tines of a fork. Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until they just start to color.

Meanwhile, make the syrup: In a medium saucepan, simmer the sugar, honey and water for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the hot cookies in a large dish or baking pan that holds them snugly, and pour the syrup over them. Let stand for 15 minutes. Turn the cookies to moisten the other sides and let stand until the cookies have absorbed all the syrup. Place the remaining filling, the chopped nuts and cinnamon, on a plate and roll each cookie in it to coat on all sides. Place the cookies in an airtight container, with parchment or waxed paper between each layer. Let stand for at least 1 day before serving. Store for up to 1 month.

Aglaia Kremezi writes about food in Greek, European, and American magazines, publishes books about Mediterranean cooking in the U.S. and Greece, and teaches cooking classes.