The highlight of a coffee break
This recipe kind of grew up with my family: when my sister and I were kids, my mum used to make the most delicious pasta flora (jam tart) using this dough, that in its original version contains eggs and butter. We loved it! Then, as teenagers, we became familiar with a new term called calories and to cut a long story short; the jam was banned from the recipe and my mother just made cookies with the dough… The years passed, and when my father started watching his cholesterol, the eggs and butter were substituted with corn oil and fresh squeezed orange juice.
These bite-sized koulourakia are light, crunchy and not too sweet; the perfect treat to accompany a warm cup of coffee. I am sure you will like them!
Koulourakia: the recipe
Ingredients (makes about 40 small koulourakia)
• 1-cup corn oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 7 tablespoons cognac
• 7 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 31/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-teaspoon baking powder
Using a mixer beat together corn oil and sugar. Add juice, cognac, lemon zest and then flour and baking powder. Knead well (with your hands) until dough is smooth. The dough should be soft and not too sticky. Let it rest for half an hour.
Form as desired, into braids or small doughnut shaped cookies. Place the koulourakia on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and bake at 180o C, in pre-heated oven, for 35-40 minutes.
Enjoy!
ps-Isn’t the butterfly cup wonderful? It’s from Studio Yria, in Paros, one of my favorite places where I could spent hours looking at their beautiful ceramics.
photography by christos drazos words by maria alipranti
This is a great recipe! I make pasta flora exactly this way, and what a wonderful way to even make these cookies LENTEN. The butterfly cup is precious, I will have to have my friend pick up a couple when she visits Paros. Unless I get there this year! Agapia