Melomakarona ( Greek Shortbread)

MELOMAKARONA ( Maria Zoukis 1998…Greek Honey Shortbread. Another wonderful recipe from Maria. She made these Every Christmas, when we lived in Petawawa, and St. Albert. It’s not Christmas without them.)

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda                                            SYRUP: 1 cup honey, ½ cup sugar, 1 cup water
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup sugar
½ cup brandy
¼ cup orange juice
1 tbsp grated orange rind
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon

1.In a bowl, Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and mix well.

2.Combine oil, sugar, brandy, orange juice and orange rind. This concoction will smell incredible...

3.Mix this into the flour. Dough should be soft and pliable when kneading.

4.Roll out and cut in oval shapes about 2 ½ - 3 inches . I shape them by hand.

5.Place on greased baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes till browned

6.To make syrup, mix all ingredients in small pot and boil for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Dip HOT shortbread into cooled syrup, place in container or on serving plate and sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon.

**Store shortbread without syrup. Freezes great. You can make the syrup for a later date. But I have found that they taste great without the syrup as well.

This recipe comes from my wonderful friend, Maria Zoukis, who I first met in Petawawa, Ontario, when we were first married. Her oldest son, Kimon, used to take piano lessons from me. One of my first memories of Kimon was at his first lesson, where he promptly stood on the piano bench and tried to climb in, so he could get a better look………and we’ve all been “family” ever since……