Koulourakia Smyrneika Smyrna Biscuits Recipes

Steps:

• Sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add melted butter, eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla. Dissolve baking ammonia in the milk and add that to the flour mixture, too.
• Knead the ingredients together well until you have a soft, pliable dough.
• Shape dough into shapes of your choosing. 'S' shapes, braids and snails are popular in Greece.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet, or parchment-lined or silpat and brush with beaten egg white.
• Bake at 375F (180C) for 20 minutes.
• Note: If you can find a 'soft' flour, suitable for pastry-making, your koulourakia will be more authentic.

Steps:

• Beat together vanilla, oil and eggs.
• Add sugar, salt and baking powder and mix.
• Add about half of the flour and mix. Gradually add the remaining flour until mixture comes away from the bowl. Do not over-add flour.
• Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into pencil-thin strips about 6 inches long. Fold in half and twist into a rope. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake 350 about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Cream butter with sugar until fluffy and quite pale-coloured (about 5-6 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time. Dissolve baking ammonia in the milk and add milk to the butter/egg mixture.
• Add the flour, baking powder and vanilla and mix until you have a pliable dough that doesn't stick to the sides of the mixing bowl (you may need to add a bit more flour as this recipe is from metric and actually calls for a kilo of flour which equals 2.2 lbs).
• Shape the dough into whatever shapes you desire. In Greece, we shape it into rings, snails, Ss, braids - you are only limited by your imagination. Do try to keep the shape down to a size that will comfortably fit into your coffee cup for dunking though - and remember - they'll puff up in baking. Brush shapes with water and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Place on greased cookie sheets, or parchment-lined cookie sheets, or silpat.
• Bake in a preheated 375F (180C) oven for 15-20 moinutes, or until golden-brown.
• Store in an airtight container.
• Note: If you can find a 'soft' flour, suited for pastry-making, you'll have a more authentic koulouraki.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Add egg, brandy and vanilla, beating well.
• Add flour mixture, a little at a time, beating in well after each addition.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a 6-inch rope, fold in half and twist 2 or 3 times, pinch ends together.
• Place 1 inch apart on 3 greased cookie sheets.
• Brush with egg/milk mixture.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake 10-13 minutes in a preheated 180C (375F) oven until golden.
• Cool on rack.
• Store in an air tight container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Grease a cookie sheet/s.
• In a bowl using an electric mixer beat 1/2 cup butter, 6 tablespoons butter, oil and orange zest until very well blended (about 4 minutes).
• Add in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until blended (about 2 minutes).
• In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add into the creamed ingredients alternately with the orange juice.
• Divide the dough into six balls.
• Roll out one piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into about a 15-inch long rope.
• Fold rope lengthwise in half.
• Twist folded rope 4-5 times.
• Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the cookies with egg glaze and then sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool completely before storing.