Kourambiedes

(recipe from Argiro Barbarigou "Everyday Greek")

Makes 70

Ingredients:

• 100 gr icing sugar
• 400 gr butter
• 100 gr margarine
• 2 eggs yolks
• 1 egg
• 2/3 tsp vanilla powder
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/3 tea cup of brandy
• 1 level tsp bicarbonato of soda
• 250 gr blanched, roasted and coarsely chopped almonds
• 850 gr soft(plain) flour, sieved

Topping:

• 1 kg icing sugar
• 2/3 tsp vanilla powder

Step One

Array the blanched almonds on a baking tray and roast them for 10 minutes at 200℃, until golden brown. Put the almonds in the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Place the butter , icing sugar, and margarine in the mixer bowl and whisk for 10 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and egg, one at a time, so that each is fully incorporated before you add the next. Add the nutmeg, vanilla and 2 tbsp of flour. The flour will keep the mixture homogeneous during the addition of the brandy. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda into the brandy and add it in the mixture.

Step Two

 Add the almonds and the flour in turns. You may not use all the flour, depending on the consistency of the mixture. Finish by hand. Sieve the last amount of flour again and work the dough gently until you end up with a soft buttery consistency.

Step Three

 You can mould the kourambiedes in any shape you like. Array them on a baking tray and bake at 170 ℃, in a hot air fan, for 35 minutes, until they burst on top and become golden brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes.

Step Four

 Mix the vanilla powder with the icing sugar. Sieve the mix , a little at a time, into a baking pan, so that it forms a layer. Place the kourambiedes in and sieve more icing sugar on top. Let them cool completely or they will crumble. Put them on a serving plate, in a pyramid shape and sprinkle again icing sugar.

Poftă Bună!!!