Melomakarona, Christmas Cookies with Chocolate Nibs

Melomakarona are traditional Greek cookies, served during fasting period before Christmas and the following festivities.

Their name comes from honey, meli in Greek. Nobody can stop eating, especially if they are filled with chocolate!

Ingredients

For the Dough

300 gr. fine semolina

500 gr. Zia flour

40 gr. cocoa powder

200 gr. brown sugar

200 ml extra virgin olive oil

200 ml fresh orange juice

150 ml brandy

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp orange zest

1 ½ tsp grated cinnamon

½ tsp grated clove

150 gr. dark chocolate flakes

For Garnish

½ cup grated walnuts

For the Syrup

3 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

Instructions

Sift flour and cocoa powder and mix with the semolina.

In a large bowl, add the olive oil, orange juice and zest, brandy, spices and sugar. Beat by hand, until sugar melts and homogenizes with other materials.

Add baking soda to the liquids mixture and stir.

Then add flour mixture to the liquids, gradually, and mix, until everything is incorporated.  

The dough will be soft and supple. Leave dough aside for ten minutes, covered with a clean kitchen towel.   

Take small pieces of dough, flatten them with palms 















and fill with a tsp of chocolate flakes. Then close the filling and form dough into a ball.

Place cookies on two baking sheets, lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C / 350°F for 20 minutes.

Remove them from the oven, and let them cool.

In the meantime, boil syrup for ten minutes. Then add a cup of honey and stir well.

Pour hot syrup over cold cookies. Turn other side and let in syrup for two minutes.

Warm half cup of honey, until becomes liquid.

Place cookies in a platter, sprinkle with the liquid honey and grated nuts. Ready to enjoy!

Merry Christmas!