Kourambiathesgreek Cookies Recipes

KOURABIETHES: GREEK SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer , add the butter and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl and add egg yolks and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Mix well. Add the ouzo, vanilla, and the toasted chopped almonds.
• In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. With the mixer on low, add the flour to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated. You don't want to over mix the dough because that will toughen the cookies. Chill the dough for about half an hour to make it easier to handle and roll.
• Heat the oven to 350 F. Have ungreased baking sheets at the ready.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Take a piece of dough about the size of a walnut, roll it into a ball, and place on the cookie sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Alternatively, roll the walnut-sized piece of dough into a log and then curl the ends in and pinch slightly to make a half-moon or crescent shape.
• Stud each cookie in the center with an optional whole clove and bake for 20 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
• When the cookies are still very warm, dredge in confectioners' sugar. (Handle them with care because they are fragile.) The sugar layer will almost melt and coat the cookies. After the cookies cool a bit, add another dusting of confectioners' sugar.
• After the cookies cool a bit, add another dusting of confectioners' sugar. Store in a covered container with a light dusting for confectioners' sugar for up to one month.

KOURAMBIETHES

Steps:

• Place almonds in an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° until lightly browned, 5-10 minutes, stirring several times. When cool, process in a food processor until finely chopped; set aside. , In a large bowl, cream butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, whiskey or juice and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and reserved almonds; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into 3-in. logs. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; shape into crescents. Bake at 350° until set and bottoms are lightly browned, 14-18 minutes. , Carefully roll warm cookies in remaining confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar.

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.

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

KOURAMBIETHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and brandy.
• Gradually only add enough flour to make a soft dough. Chill.
• Shape dough into crescents or 1 1/2 inch balls. (If using cloves, place one in each cookie before baking.)
• Place on ungreased sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. They won't be brown.
• Cool for 4 to 5 minutes and then sift powdered sugar over them.

GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIES (KOURAMBIEDES)

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter and salt and whip until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar, egg, brandy, and vanilla and beat until all of the ingredients are integrated. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add sifted flour to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, remove the dough and transfer it onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes before rolling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• After the dough has cooled, pinch off small pieces and roll them into about 1-inch balls. Place them in a single layer with space in between each, on a greased baking sheet. Repeat the process until all of the cookie dough has been rolled. Place a clove in the center of each cookie. Alternatively, shape the ball into half moons with a clove in the center of each.
• Place the sheets in the oven and bake until the cookies are just slightly brown, about 15 minutes. Allow them to cool thoroughly, and then roll them in powdered sugar.

"KOURAMBIEDES" GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Cream the butter until light, creamy & fluffy. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar & continue beating the mixture until smooth & well blended. Add the egg yolk & the brandy and beat until smooth.
• 2. Add the sifted flour & chopped almonds a little at a time continue beating for about half hour or until it's firm enough to handle easily.
• 3. With floured hands shape pieces of dough into small balls about 1 1/2 in. in diameter, flatted each one with the palm of your hand or make in crescent shape or any other shape you like by using a cookie cutter.
• 4. Preheat oven 350F (175C) Place your kourambithes on a lined with wax paper cookie sheet. If you want stick a whole clove on top of each flatten cookie. Bake the kourambiethes for 15-20 minutes, always keeping an eye on them as oven differ and might burn. They should not brown on top.
• 5. When done remove from oven. While still hot sprinkle them with rosewater and dust with icing sugar. Place them on a serving dish allowing to cool and dust again with icing sugar.
• 6. Note: We usually place them on a round platter in a pyramid shape and then dust them all over. Too many cookies? The cookie dough can be divided, and the unused portion stored in the refrigerator. Wrap well in plastic wrap, and it will keep for up to two months. When ready to use, remove from refrigerator and let the dough sit for an hour. Then, beat with the mixer briefly to aerate the dough. To store: Kourabiethes will keep for several months if stored in airtight containers. Make sure there's a dusting of powdered sugar on the bottom of the container, then layer cookies as above, each layer with a covering of sugar. Wait one day after baking to cover with an airtight lid. They also keep and freeze beautifully, and when serving to others after they have been stored, just give them a fresh coat of confectioners sugar. Only one negative - you can't sneak eating one of these because of the confectioners sugar dusting you get all over yourself!"

KOURAMBIEDES (A GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIE)

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer for 15 minutes, until it begins to turn white. Mix in the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add the egg yolks, the brandy, vanilla extract, and gradually add the flour, until you have a dough that is neither too soft nor too firm (you may need to add slightly more than the amount I've written); stir in the almonds.
• Let the dough stand for an hour at room temperature, covered with a clean dish towel.
• Next, with small amounts (about 1 1/2 teaspoons of dough), shape small rounds by gently rolling the dough around between the palms of your hands.
• Arrange the round cookies on a buttered pan and flatten ever so slightly on top with your hand.
• Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.
• Immediately upon removing the kourambiedes from the oven, sprinkle them with rose water (or orange water or ouzo. I do this by putting a small amount of the liquid in a bowl, wetting my fingertips, and shaking the droplets over the hot cookies a few times. The scented water or ouzo gives the cookies a very delicate fragrance).
• Roll the hot cookies in icing sugar to cover and let cool.
• When cool, arrange on a pretty holiday platter, sieving more icing sugar between the cookie layers to give a snowdrift effect.

KOURAMBIETHES (GREEK BUTTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Beat together butter and the 4 Tablespoons of powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Beat in egg. Add whiskey, vanilla and almond extract. Beat well. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to mixture; stir in, do not beat. Dough should be soft but not sticky.
• Pinch off one inch balls of dough and shape into crescents. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned.
• Place cookies on wire rack and let cool for about 5 to 6 minutes. Roll in additional powdered sugar. This easy recipe makes 3 dozen cookies.

KOURABIETHES - GREEK BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and 1 cup sugar until very light and fluffy. stir in egg yolk and brandy. Mix sifted flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Mix in the flour and baking powder a little at a time until dough no longer sticks to your fingers. If you are adding the almonds, chop them up into fine pieces. Mix them in while mixing in flour, accomodating for the extra ingredient and not letting the cookies get too dry. Knead well until dough is smooth and can easily be rolled into balls. Take small pieces of dough and shape into balls or small crescents. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet or on a lightly greased sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until very light brown. While still warm, brush very lightly with orange flower or rose water. Roll in confectioner's sugar and set on a tray or plate. Use the remaining sugar to sift over top until well covered.