Butter Cookies - Koulourakia
Koulourakia are a traditional Greek dessert, typically made at Easter to be eaten after Holy Saturday. They are a butter-based pastry, lightly sweetened and traditionally have a twisted braid shape.
Ingredients:
250 gr fresh butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 vanilla
1 pack baking powder
1/2 cup milk
grated lemon and orange peel
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Procedure:
Preheat oven at 180° C.
1. Beat the butter with the sugar in a mixer until they become smooth and white.
2. Add the egg yolks, the vanilla, the milk, the orange peel and beat well.
3. Once the mixture becomes smooth, remove it from the mixer bowl and place in a larger bowl, then add the flour little by little along with the baking powder and knead. The dough shouldn’t be too firm or too thin, it should be just right enough to shape the dough without it sticking to your hands. You may need to add more flour to your dough or even remove some; it all depends on the dough.
4. After kneading, leave it to rest for an hour, then cut the dough into small pieces and shape the koulourakia (biscuits) into various shapes and forms.
5. Place them on a baking sheet and smear the top with an egg.
6. Bake for approximately 20 – 25 minutes. As soon as they are ready, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool.