TRADITIONAL GREEK BUTTER COOKIES FOR CHRISTMAS - ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΙΑΚΟΙ ΚΟΥΡΑΜΠΙΕΔΕΣ

     Oh the glorious days of Christmas baking continued. Moments like this, the whole family gathers around the kitchen to smell the butter that is melting, the spices that are being used and the warm athmosphere that surrounds the kitchen. Usually mums hold this role with young children helping around or grabing bites of baked goodies. Christmas songs playing on the background (my favourites are those of Frank Sinatra) and everyone is having a jolly time. 

     This year my role as a hostess or lady of the house was defined. After baking the most delicious Gingersnap cookies, I was found inside the kitchen once again, baking greek holiday cookies this time. In Greece, we have a lot of holiday treats, but this type of butter dough cookies called "Kourabyedes" are something every family bakes or at least buys from bakeries. It is my second favourite, as my number one holiday treat is another type of cookies, called "Melomakarona", which is cookies containing olive oil, orange zest and walnuts drowned in a syrop of honey and spices. Yummy, yummy! But...as these cookies take some time to make, and I don't have a lot of time these days, I decided to bake my second favourite which I present to you today.

Traditional Greek butter cookies (Kourabyedes)

ingredients (for about 40 cookies)

400gr softened butter

600gr all purposes flour shifted

150gr icing sugar shifted

30gr brandy (like Metaxa)

20gr rose water

100gr toasted almonds slightly chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

How do I make it?

1. First step, put your butter on a bowl of standing mixer and start mixing it on medium to high speed for about 3 minutes until really soft. If you have a hand mixer, do the same (though harder). Add the icing sugar to the butter and continue mixing in the same speed for 2 more minutes.

2. Next, start adding the flour to the mixture little at a time and lower your mixing speed. A type of soft dough will start being created.

3. When your dough is formed add the brandy, vanilla and rose water and mix a bit more. Add your chopped almonds and mix for a final time.

4. Start preheating your oven to 180 C. In a clean surface spread your dough and start rolling it until you reach a thickness of about 1,5 to 2 cm. With your cookie cutters, cut the shapes of dough and transfer them carefully to a parchment paper placed on a pan. Do this for all the remaining dough. If you don't have cookie cutters you can shape your own cookies by shaping small balls close to the size of ping pong balls.

5. Bake your cookies for 15 to 18 minutes. It's essential that you have a look at your cookies around that time of baking because they might need less of more time depending on your oven. You want them barely golden at the sides.

6. When they are baked remove the pan immediately from the oven and let them cool. Dust a generous ammount of icing sugar on top and enjoy a couple of those with some coffee or alone.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Παραδοσιακοί Κουραμπιέδες

υλικά (για περίπου 40 κομμάτια)

400γρ μαλακό βούτυρο

600γρ αλεύρι για όλες τις χρήσεις

150γρ ζάχαρη άχνη κοσκινισμένη 

30γρ κονιάκ (τύπου Metaxa)

20γρ ανθόνερο

100γρ ψημένα αμύγδαλα, ψιλοκομμένα

1 κουταλάκι εκχύλισμα βανίλιας

Πώς θα το φτιάξω;

1. Σαν πρώτο βήμα, τοποθετήστε το βούτυρο στο κάδο ενός μίξερ και χτυπήστε το βούτυρο σε μεσαία με υψηλή ταχύτητα για περίπου 3 λεπτά μέχρι να μαλακώσει πολύ. Αν έχετε μίξερ χειρός πρέπει να κάνετε το ίδιο με λίγη παραπάνω δυσκολία. Προσθέστε τη ζάχαρη άχνη και συνεχίστε την ανάμειξη για 2 ακόμα λεπτά στην ίδια ένταση. 

2. Έπειτα, ξεκινήστε να προσθέτετε το αλεύρι σιγά σιγά και μειώστε την ταχύτητα ανάμειξης. Ένα είδος μαλακής ζύμης θα δημιουργηθεί.

3. Όταν η ζύμη σας έχει δημιουργηθεί προσθέστε το κονιάκ, τη βανίλια και το ανθόνερο και αναμείξτε για 1 λεπτό ακόμα. Προσθέστε τα αμύγδαλα και αναμείξτε για τελευταία φορά.

4. Ξεκινήστε την προθέρμανση του φούρνου στους 180C. Σε μια καθαρή επιφάνεια ρολάρετε την ζύμη σας με έναν πλάστη μέχρι να έχει πάχος 1,5 με 2 εκατοστά. Κόψτε σχήματα με τα κουπάτ σας για όλη τη ζύμη. Εάν δεν έχετε κουπάτ πλάστε μικρές μπαλίτσες στο μέγεθος της μπάλας του πινγκ πονγκ. Προσεχτικά μεταφέρετε τα άψητα μπισκότα σε ένα χαρτί ψησίματος που θα έχετε τοποθετήσει πάνω σε μεγάλο ταψί.

5. Ψήστε τους κουραμπιέδες για 15 με 18 λεπτά. Είναι πολύ σημαντικό να κοιτάτε το ψήσιμό τους, διότι μπορεί να χρειάζονται λιγότερο ψήσιμο. Δεν θέλουμε να παραψηθούν οι κουραμπιέδες, απλά να ροδίσουν ελαφρά στις άκρες.

6. Όταν είναι έτοιμα βγάλτε τα απευθείας από το φούρνο και αφήστε τα να κρυώσουν. Προσθέστε από πάνω αρκετή ποσότητα ζάχαρη άχνη και απολαύστε τα με μια κούπα ζεστό καφέ ή σκέτα.

GARLIC BUTTER AND GRUYERE CHEESE PULL-APART BREAD

     First two weeks of University life have gone by so quickly. I find myself among people from different countries and cultures and all the new information is overwealming to say the least. I've learned so many things about life in Switzerland and especially in Zurich the past few days that I am still processing. But as cold winter starts to make its appearance, it is not a wonder that I start getting inside the kitchen deeper and deeper. Hey, I need fat to be able to survive through the cold heavy winter (or so I tell myself). But if you also lived with a talented chef as a boyfriend, who lacks the sensitivity to cook lightly and prepares you the best brownies-ever, you would also be tempted as I am to eat everything.

     So, lately I've been experimenting with things to try in the kitchen and I've had some serious professional offers, which I won't talk about yet until they are official. This Sunday I was inspired by a recipe I stambled upon on Food and Wine and thought it was very interesting. I followed it almost by heart, although I changed a little bit the ingredients. I took off some of the butter and introduced the glory of the Gruyere cheese. This magnificent swiss cheese may not be too good for your noses (my boyfriend hates the smell), but it will be glorious for your mouth. Trust me when I say this! The recipe itself is quite simple, although like in everyother bread situation you have to wait for some time for the dough to double itself.

     When I tried to make it I realised I didn't have any dry yeast, so I added some baking powder instead. I did everything as the instructions said, but I think that adding baking powder to make bread is not smart. The bread came out perfect in taste, but the dough was too heavy and not light and fluffy as a normal bread should be. I advice you then to add active dry yeast as the recipe requires for. 

Garlic Butter and Gruyere cheese pull-apart bread

ingredients 

for the dough

1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 teaspoons salt

for the garlic butter and gruyere

4 tablespoons butter

5 cloves of garlic minced

10 leaves of basil choped 

1 cup of gruyere cheese

how do I make it?

1. First, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk the warm milk, yeast and sugar and let stand until foamy. Beat in the flour, 2 tablespoons of butter and the salt. Knead the dough until it starts to get smoothfor almost 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, approximately for 1 hour.

2. Start making the garlic butter by heating up a medium sized pan and putting in the butter, your minced garlic and the basil. When the butter has melted completely remove from heat and let it cool for a bit.

3. After your dough has doubled in size, take it out and start kneeding it on a floured surface. Start making small balls in the size of golfball. Oil a non-stick skillet (round) and start placing your dough balls in concentric circles until you have filled all of the place. Pour on them your garlic butter sauce and let them double again in size by covering them with a plastic wrap. Then when they are ready to bake pour over your gruyere cheese.

4. Heat your oven to 180C and bake your bread for 30-40 minutes or until golden. When they are ready sprinkle some sea salt on them and maybe coat them in some more butter for extra deliciousness.