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Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)

Make Honey Cookies (Melomakarona) at home with Butter, Caster Sugar, Maize Or Peanut Oil, Orange Grated Rind Only, and Plain Flour. Serves 60. Scale it up or down for the number of people at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 cup
• 3/4 cup
• 3/4 cup
• 1
• 6 cup
• 4 tsp
• 3/4 cup

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Oven temperature: 180 C (350 F)

2. 2

   Beat butter and sugar with orange rind until creamy.

3. 3

   Gradually add oil and continue beating until mixture is very light and fluffy.

4. 4

   Stir in flour alternately with orange juice.

5. 5

   Knead dough lightly with hands for 1 minute.

6. 6

   Take a scant tablespoon of dough and flatten it a little.

7. 7

   Place a teaspoon of the nut filling in the centre and fold dough over to enclose filling.

8. 8

   Shape into ovals, pinching ends to a point.

9. 9

   Decorate tops with tines of fork or by crimping cookies diagonally across top in four rows with special crimper (see NOTE), or leave them plain.

10. 10

    Place on lightly greased baking trays and bake in a moderate oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

11. 11

    Lift out onto a plate and leave until cool. (If no nut filling is used, sprinkle tops with crushed walnuts or toasted sesame seeds and cinnamon.

12. 12

    TO MAKE NUT FILLING: Thin honey down with orange juice and blend into remaining ingredients.

13. 13

    TO MAKE HONEY SYRUP: Place ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and stir over heat until sugar dissolves.

14. 14

    Bring to the boil and boil over moderately high heat for 10 minutes and skim.

15. 15

    Let syrup boil on a moderate heat while dipping cookies.

16. 16

    Add a little water to syrup when it thickens too much during dipping.