Kourabiedes
These buttery Greek cookies are traditionally made with almonds and dredged in icing sugar. Perfect with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- 75g/2¾oz blanched almonds or walnuts
- 250g/9oz butter, at room temperature, cubed
- 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú icing sugar, plus 250g/9oz for dusting
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 425g/15oz plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp orange blossom water
- fine sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Spread the almonds or walnuts across one of the lined baking trays, then toast in the oven for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden.
Place the butter in the bowl of a free-standing mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Sift in the 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú icing sugar, then add the brandy and egg yolk, and continue to mix until combined.
Finely chop the toasted nuts then add them to the butter mixture, along with the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Use a large metal spoon to fold it all together until combined.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into 24 equal balls, then mould each one into a traditional crescent shape – you could also make them into fingers, or balls or cut them with a star cutter, whatever you like.
Place the biscuits on the second lined baking tray and bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly golden.
Add a generous amount of icing sugar, about 250g/9oz, to a small, deep tray.
Very lightly brush the warm biscuits with the orange blossom water, then pop them in the icing sugar tray and toss to coat well. Leave to cool completely in the icing sugar tray.