Posts tagged ‘baking’

May 9

Lenten Orange Cinnamon Cookies – Kourabiethes

Countless recipes for rich little cookies like these exist, and most cultures have their versions. Most of them are little round balls rolled in powdered sugar, but these take the shape of a crescent. Because it’s that time leading up to Easter, I thought I’d share with you the version that Greeks might be eating during this Lenten season. (Another version that I’ll maybe share with you later includes eggs, butter and Ouzo!) This one calls for margarine, though I always use butter in cookies. The addition of olive oil and orange juice, as well as almond extract, make these distinctly different and delicious.

Kourabiethes

(makes about 40 cookies)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup butter (or margarine, but not lower fat versions!)
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup almonds, blanched, lightly toasted and chopped
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 to 4 cups flour
ground cinnamon
powdered sugar for tops

Whip the olive oil, butter, and sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a wire attachment set on high speed for 3 minutes.

May 7

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Ani’s Apple Crisp –

Ingredients Topping

3 T. unsalted butter, broken into several pieces
3 T. walnut oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 c. rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 handful of walnuts, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients – Filling

Approximately 2 pounds of apples (see note)
1/2 cup or so of fresh or frozen cranberries
3 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar (I prefer brown, but granulated is fine)
ground cinnamon (1 t. or to taste)

NOTE: A combination of Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and maybe one other of your choice makes for the most interesting and tasty apple dessert. About 4 medium apples should do. Though there’s lots of leeway here, it’s essential to have one tart apple (such as the Granny Smith) for flavor.

Preparing the Topping: Using your fingers, work the butter with the sugar, flour, oats and spices so that each piece is coated and you have a coarse, crumbly mixture. Stir in the walnut oil and add chopped walnuts, incorporating well. (Variation made with all butter: if you haven’t any walnut oil and the urge strikes you to make this dessert with what’s on hand, you can substitute 6 T. butter. But walnut oil is delicious in certain salad dressings too and really nice to have around. Keep refrigerated.)

The Filling: Peel and core the apples and cut into bite-size pieces. Mix with cranberries, flour, sugar and spices. Pour into a 2-inch high baking dish, and cover with the crisp topping.

Baking: Bake at 375° F until the fruit is bubbly and thickened around the edges and the crisp topping is browned. (Depending on your baking dish and the variability of ovens, this may take up to an hour, but check sooner. If it begins to brown too much before its edges get bubbly, cover with aluminum foil for the duration.)

Served warm is best. But even cold for breakfast, with plain or vanilla yogurt, is good! (In a future installment, I’ll share my recipe for Vanilla Cardamom Ice-Cream, a rather divine accompaniment to a simple, homey dessert.)