Greek Christmas small honey cake

Greek melomakarona

Melomakarono is a Greek dessert made mainly from flour, semolina, oil, orange juice and honey. It is classified like kourabiedes in the traditional national sweets that are considered necessary in every Greek home, especially at Christmas time. It was established as a sweet of the Twelfth Day, mainly by the Greeks of Asia Minor and with the name “palm trees”.

Melomakarono in English is called “small honey cake”.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup corn oil
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 orange zest
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cooking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • all purpose flour

for the syrup

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup honey

Method

  1. In a bowl, add all ingredients, except from the flour and stir to make a mixture.
  2. Gradually add the flour and knead to make a moderate dough.
  3. Bake at 180oC until golden brown and let them cool.
  4. In a saucepan add the ingredients for the syrup and boil them for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the foam and add melomakarona for about 1′-2′ into the syrup.
  6. Sprinkle on top with chopped walnuts.