How to make Melomakarona (Greek Honey Biscuits)- With Dimi
Create these classic Greek biscuits, Dipped in Honey and coated in toasted crushed walnuts.
INGREDIENTS
Biscuits:
- 1 & 1/2 cups oil
- 1/3 cup castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- Rind and Juice of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted & chopped
- 3 & 1/2 Cups Self Raising Flour
Honey for Dipping your biscuits & Walnuts:
- 2 cups Honey
- 2 cups walnuts toasted and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla sugar to sprinkle the biscuits
METHOD
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 180c. Line 3 flat baking trays with baking paper
Place in a stand mixer bowl, oil, castor sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, orange juice and rind and brandy. Mix for about 5 min. In a bowl add 3 cups of flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and mix well to incorporate all the ingredients. Slowly start to add the flour mix into the stand mixer with all of the other ingredients mixing with the paddle attachment. Once you have added the flour you might need to keep adding some extra flour until you see the flour coming off from the side off the bowl as it's mixing. NOTE do not add too much flour it needs to be like a light soft dough so that we can roll them out. Once done, cover the bowl with a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
Using your hands, roll a table spoon mixture into oval shapes and place on lined trays. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm to touch. Allow to cool completely on the trays.
Step 2:
In a small bowl add the chopped toasted walnuts (this to coat the biscuits after they are dipped in the honey).
Place honey in a saucepan over medium heat just before boiling point. Reduce to a low heat. Using a slotted spoon, dip cooled biscuits, 1 at a time, into hot honey for about 5-10 seconds, turning over until well coated. It's up to you how long you soak the biscuits, the more you soak them the softer they will become.
Place the biscuits into a colander to drain off any excess honey. Place 1 biscuit at a time into the chopped walnuts, coating the whole biscuit.
Place on your serving plate and once completed sprinkle with the ground cinnamon and vanilla sugar.
ALLOW TO COOL AND SERVE.