December 3, 2020

PASXALINA KOULOURAKIA, GREEK EASTER BISCUITS

A recipe by Eugenia Makrogianneli

Koulourakia are the Easter biscuits traditionally prepared in Greece for the Easter week. These all-butter cookies have a delicate crumb and are fragrant with orange zest.
Sweetened with orange juice, they’re perfect to dunk in your coffeee and enjoy all year round.

Ingredients

200g butter
200g sugar
750g all purpose flour, sieved
4 whole eggs, plus 2 egg whites for brushing
80ml orange juice
100ml milk
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla extract
1tsp cocoa powder (optional)
a pinch of salt
1 orange for its zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
  2. Use a mixer to beat the butter with the sugar, until creamy.
  3. Add the orange zest, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Next fold in the eggs, adding them one by one.
  4. If you wish to have mixed vanilla & chocolate flavoured biscuits, split the mixture in two separate bowls adding 1 tsp of cocoa powder to one of them, and continue by dividing the flour equally between the two bowls.
  5. Sieve the flour and the baking powder together; start integrating them in the mixing bowl gradually by hand. Take care not to over mix.
  6. Once the dough is ready, keep covered & leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. Line your baking sheets with parchment and start shaping the Easter cookies. Shape the biscuits in twirls or little plaits, making sure they are the same size so they can be baked evenly.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180oC, until lightly golden.