Melomakarona (Toula M)

Melomakarona

These cookies drive me crazy and I have yet to make them like my mother.  ~ A soft exterior, with a crunchy interior and a flavour full of spice.

For some reason, the last few times I've made these cookies, they've turned out too soggy.  Placing them on a cooling rack after dipping them in syrup helps, but something's not quite right. 

While this recipe is still very tasty, it does not meet my standards.  I will therefore have to try a few different recipes I have on hand until I find that perfect one that matches my mom's recipe.  It's not just about taste and texture, but size too!

The closest Melomekarona cookie that I have tasted since my mom's passing were offered to us at Easter.  Now I have to convince my daughter to get a one on one lesson from her boyfriend's mom so that she can come back and teach me.  Nudge, nudge...........

Ingredients for Syrup:

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

splash of lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla sugar (optional)

Ingredients for Walnut Mixture:

Finely chopped walnuts

Cinnamon 

Sugar

Ingredients for Cookie Dough:

1 water glass (8oz) vegetable oil

1 water glass (8oz) sugar

½ lb Crisko shortening

1 cup orange juice

1 Tbsp baking powder

5 Rose flour (The dough should be soft and moist, just add until dough is no longer sticking to hands)

1.   Mix all cookie dough ingredients together.  The dough should be moist and soft.  Add enough flour so that the dough is no longer sticking to hands.

2.  Take small pieces (about 1 tsp) and roll into balls.  Optional:  put some chopped walnuts in the middle and fold back together.  Form into ovals and place the resealed side down on the pan when baking.

3.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350F.

4.  Allow to cool.

 5.  Prepare syrup: 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, splash of freshly squeezed lemon (Optional:  1 tsp vanilla sugar).   Bring to a boil and then allow to clarify by simmering for 10 minutes.

 

 6.  Prepare mixture of finely chopped walnuts, sugar & cinnamon.  (This is made to your personal liking.  Start with a Tbsp of each the sugar and cinnamon and be careful not to make too sweet, especially if you added the vanilla sugar to the syrup).

7.  Once cookies are cooled and syrup is ready, quickly dip cookie into syrup using a slotted spoon.  Avoid making soggy.

8.  Coat cookie with the walnut mixture.  Work with small amounts of the mixture at a time in a separate bowl.  This will avoid making the batch soggy from the syrup.  (If the walnut mixture gets to wet, it will crumble and will not stick to the syrup coated cookie).

9.  Once Cookie is removed from walnut mixture, put it on a cooling rack so that the syrup can dry up a bit, giving the cookie a crunch.


Warning:  If you put directly into paper cups, the paper will absorb all the syrup and make the cookie soggy.