Greek Christmas: Healthy Honey Biscuits with Walnuts (Melomakarona)

I am sure you have all heard of the unbeatable health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, so I have decided to share my yiayia’s (grandmother’s) recipe for Greek Christmas syrupy biscuits made of extra virgin olive oil, honey, walnuts and cinnamon. Oh and brandy!

Servings: 28-30 biscuits

Ingredients: 

For the Melomakarona:

200 grams of extra virgin olive oil

25 grams. brandy

80 grams of preferably fresh orange juice

½ tsp baking soda

100 g. honey (thick, Greek honey is recommended; available in most supermarkets)

½ tsp cloves (optional)

1 tsp cinnamon

Zest of 1 orange

500 g. whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

For the Syrup

300ml honey

150ml water

A few drops of lemon juice (almost half a lemon)

Instructions

Start by sieving the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Continue by placing in a separate bowl the oil, brandy, honey, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. Mix it well. A bit more! There you go.  Pour the mixture to the bowl with the flour and mix gently. The dough should be soft and oily. Now, use dough to shape walnut-sided biscuits and place them on baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes in a well-preheated oven at 150 – 160C. They should become a golden-ish brown. As Melomakarona are baked, make the syrup by stirring gently a bowl with honey, water and lemon.  Once you delicious Melomakarona are ready (and hot), dip each one into the bowl with the syrup for about 20 seconds. The more you let softer they’ll be.  Finally, remove each Melomakarono from the syrup, place them in your platter of choice and sprinkle immediately with grated nuts.

Serve and enjoy a guilt-free, delicious delight from Greece!