Melomakarona (Greek honey cookies)

Photo: The Mediterranean Dish

Every Greek house makes these at Christmas: olive oil, orange and brandy in the dough, then a hot cookie into cold honey syrup, walnuts on top. Suzy's makes 60, which is exactly what a swap needs.

From Suzy Karadsheh at The Mediterranean Dish · @themediterraneandish

Olive oil, orange and brandy dough spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, shaped into ovals and baked, then dropped hot into cold honey syrup and finished with walnuts.

You need

• 1 1/2 cups water, for the syrup
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar, for the syrup
• 1 cup (340 g) honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 orange, zested and halved, for the syrup
• 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup orange juice, plus the zest of that orange
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar, for the dough
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 7 1/2 cups (900 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup (85 g) walnuts, finely chopped

How to make it

1. Make the syrup first so it's cold when the cookies come out: boil the water, sugar, orange zest and halves and cinnamon stick for 5 minutes. Take it off the heat, stir in the honey and let it cool completely.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
3. Whisk the olive oil, brandy, orange juice and zest, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda, then add it to the wet bowl a little at a time, stirring, until you have a soft dough. Knead briefly until smooth; don't overwork it.
5. Shape 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough into small ovals, flatten them a little and press a crosshatch on top with a fork. Set them on the pan.
6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
7. Take the orange and cinnamon out of the syrup. Drop the hot cookies into the cold syrup a few at a time, turn them, and let them soak 20 to 30 seconds.
8. Lift them onto a tray and scatter the walnuts over each one. They keep, covered, for 2 weeks and get better after the first day.

For a swap: Packs well once they've drained. They get better after a day.

Written in our own words from Suzy Karadsheh's recipe, with their quantities. The original: Melomakarona (Greek honey cookies), The Mediterranean Dish.

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