Kourabiedes are one of the most delicious Greek shortbread cookie sweets you’ll ever taste. These butter cookies, which are sometimes flavoured with brandy, vanilla, or mastiha, are the buzz of Greek tradition and dessert served during the holidays. The primary distinction between Kourabiedes and conventional shortbread cookies is that these delightful delicacies are frequently filled with almonds and lavishly dusted with icing sugar. These cookies are a bit messy to eat, but they provide a delightful taste of classic Greek cookies.
KOURABIEDES RECIPE (By Akis Petretzikis Greek Celebrity Chef)
SHOP KOURABIEDES ONLINE FROM GREEK FOOD SHOP BY SELECT BAKERY
INGREDIENTS
- 4 1/4 cups (1 kilo) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (500 gr) butter
- 2/3 cup (160 gr) caster sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (2 packets vanilla powder)
- 1 cup (200 gr) blanched slivered almonds, toasted (toast for 5-10 minutes at 200* C (390*F)
- caster sugar for dusting
- rosewater
No mixer
- 1/2 cup (125 gr) butter (goat milk butter, if available)
- 1/2 cup (125 gr) butter
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) raw almonds, ground in a food processor
- 2/4 cup (75 gr) caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. rosewater
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (2 packets vanilla powder)
- 1 1/4 cups (300 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 cup (150 gr) almond slivers, toasted and cooled
For sprinkling and dusting:
- rosewater
- powdered sugar
METHOD
- Remove the butter from the fridge 2-3 hours before using to allow it to soften at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 180* C (350*F)
- In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on high speed for 5-6 minutes, or until it turns white. Combine the caster sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Continue to beat for a further 5-7 minutes. The volume of the butter may decrease when the sugar is added, but it will rise again. When it resembles whipped cream, it’s done.
- Remove the mixing bowl and gradually add the flour. Fold in gently with a spatula, then add the almonds.
- The mixture should be soft but not too soft that it sticks to your hands.
- Make walnut-sized balls out of the mixture (25 g). Arrange them in a row on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Make a small indent with your finger on top of each little ball of dough. It will be able to hang on to more caster sugar this way.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the dish from the oven. Place them on a wire rack to cool after carefully removing them from the baking sheet. When they’re heated, they’re soft and crumbly.
- Spray them with rose water once they’ve cooled.
Dust with some caster sugar in a sieve.
No mixer
- Preheat oven to 200* C (390* F)
- In a small baking pan, place the almond slivers. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until brown. BE VERY CAREFUL since they can quickly burn, therefore you must keep a close eye on them. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it aside to cool completely. If they are added while the dish is still hot, the entire dish will be ruined.
- Maintain the same temperature in the oven.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix with your hands until well blended.
- By hand, combine the ingredients for the third mixture (toasted almonds).
- Form the dough into cookie shapes (20-25 g each). Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. It’s critical that the cookies are as similar in form and size as possible in order for them to bake evenly.
- Lower the temperature of the oven down to 180* C (350* F). Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle rosewater and dust with caster sugar as heavily as you prefer!
Greek chef Akis Petretzikis recipe on how to make Kourabiedes at home:
