Aroma of Christmas: Maria Loi Made Kourabiedes with George Stephanopoulos [video]
Maria Loi and George Stefanopoulos in Good Morning America
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Good Morning America, one of the most popular morning news programs, took on a Greek flavor last week. Hosted by George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts, the show featured Greek chef, Maria Loi, affectionately dubbed the Julia Childs of Greece.
Along with George and his wife, Ali Wentworth, Loi cooked up a batch of kourabiedes, Greek Christmas butter cookies stuffed with almonds and topped with powdered sugar.
The Greek chef explained to viewers why she prefers to use olive oil instead of butter and talked about the benefits of cinnamon for the human body. “You know why the Greeks have been using cinnamon since ancient times? Because it lowers the glycemic index,” she said, adding that viewers should use Greek honey in the recipe.
While the chef demonstrated how to mix baking powder and flour, Stephanopoulos’s wife teased her husband that she’d heard that baking powder in Greece is considered an aphrodisiac.
The recipe
1.5 cup roasted almonds
1.5 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons honey
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups all purpose flour
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling
We're baking up a storm with @ChefMariaLoi, @GStephanopoulos and #AliWentworth as they make Kourambiedes — a traditional Greek almond cookie — for Day 4 of our #12DaysOfCookies!
Get the full recipe here: https://t.co/tYi61X819w pic.twitter.com/hngArUaS2V
— Good Morning America (@GMA) December 14, 2022
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Place the almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for about 10 minutes or until the almonds are golden brown. Turn them over mid-way so they cook evenly on both sides. Make sure you don’t burn them.
Remove the almonds from the oven and let them cool. Put them in a food processor or mixer and grind them. Set them aside.
Add olive oil, water, and sugar to the bowl of the mixer and beat them until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are all combined in a creamy mixture. Add brandy, cinnamon, and honey and stir to combine.
Measure out 1 cup of flour, add baking powder to the cup and mix it to fully combine the ingredients. Then sift the mixture and slowly add it to the mixing bowl. Blend on a low-medium setting.
Measure out two more cups of sifted flour and slowly add it to the mixture to form a dough. Add the almonds to the mix, then sift the remaining flour and add it to the bowl. The dough should be firm but soft enough to mold. It should stick together when you press it, but have a crumbly texture. Allow the dough to “rest” for at least 15 minutes before forming into cookies. If time permits, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before shaping the cookies.
Using a tablespoon, place the dough onto parchment paper and shape into rounds or crescents. Leave space between them.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned. Remove and let cool for five minutes. Lightly sprinkle them with confectioner’s sugar and let it absorb. When the cookies are completely cooled, lightly sprinkle them again thwith confectioner’s sugar until they are completely coated.
Store in an airtight container lined with parchment paper and enjoy!
Ακολουθήστε τη HELLAS JOURNAL στη NEWS GOOGLE