Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

Karen Mintzias 1/2 c Cognac
7 c All-purpose unbleached flour -OR- mavrothaphne wine
Extra flour for kneading -OR- ruby port
1 1/2 ts Baking soda 3 Oranges; zested and juiced
1/4 ts Salt 4 ts Freshly ground cinnamon
1 3/4 c Mild olive oil 1 1/2 ts Freshly ground clove
1 1/4 c Sugar 3/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg

---------------------------SYRUP--------------------------------
1 lb Honey; (1 lb = about 2 cups) 1 Clove
1 c Sugar 1 Lemon; zested and juiced
1 1-inch piece of cinnamon 1 c Water

--------------------------TOPPING-------------------------------
1/2 c Shelled almonds 1 ts Freshly ground cinnamon
1 tb Sugar

Author's note: These cakes are traditionally served at Christmas.
This recipe comes from my neighbor, Andonia. I have a distinct
memory of her beating the oil and sugar into the flour until it
dissolved using her middle finger and forefinger as a beater - though
a spoon will do.

Start by making the syrup. Put the honey, sugar, cinnamon, clove, and
lemon zest in a saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil and
simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, then chill.

To blanch the almonds, plunge them into boiling water for 1-2 minutes,
until you see signs of their skins loosening. Then drain and slip or
pop them from their skins onto a baking sheet. Toast them in an oven
preheated to 350 F for about 10 minutes - just until they begin to
color. Cool, then chop them very, very finely - if you do this in a
food processor, make sure that the pulses are short, or the nuts
could turn oily. Mix the ground almonds with the sugar and cinnamon
and reserve.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Put the olive oil and
sugar in a large bowl and beat together - with your fingers like
Andonia - or with a wooden spoon. Beat in the Cognac, the orange
zest, spices, and juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup).

Then beat in the flour, a few spoonfuls at a time, until you have a
malleable dough, adding more flour if it is too soft, and more orange
juice if it is too stiff. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and
knead for 10-15 minutes until very smooth.

Pinch off pieces of dough of about 2 tablespons and form into
flattened oval or lozenge shapes. Place them on an oiled or
non-stick baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 400-425 F for
about 20 minutes, until brown.

When they are cool enough to handle, dip them in the bowl of syrup for
about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a tray to
cool. Sprinkle with the chopped almond mixture.

Source: Recipes from a Greek Island, by Susie Jacobs

Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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