Greek-style walnut biscuits (Melomakarona) Recipe

These are perfect to bake for your Easter celebrations or over the holidays.

Greek-style walnut biscuits (Melomakarona) Recipe

Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 46 biscuits

Ingredients

For the Syrup:

• 1 ¼ cups water
• 2 ½ cups castor sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 orange, cut in half
• ¾ cup honey

For the Biscuits:

• 150g fine semolina
• 500g plain flour
• 2 tsp McKenzie’s Baking Powder
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup castor sugar
• 1 tbs McKenzie’s ground Cinnamon
• 1/3 tsp McKenzie’s ground Nutmeg
• 1/3 tsp clove powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp McKenzie’s Bicarbonate Soda
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 50g honey

For the garnish:

• 160g McKenzie’s Californian Walnuts, roughly chopped
• McKenzie’s ground cinnamon

Method

Start by making the syrup first as it needs to cool completely. 

1. To a medium size pot, add water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and orange halves. Boil for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the mixture from the stove and stir in the honey. Set aside to cool.
2. To make the biscuit dough: in a bowl whisk together the semolina, flour, and baking powder.
3. In another large bowl, add orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and vanilla and mix well. To this mixture, add the bicarbonate soda and whisk immediately for 10 seconds (the mixture with foam). Add water, both oils, orange zest, and honey, and whisk to combine.
4. Add the flour mix from step 2 to the wet mixture in step 3 and combine the two, kneading with your hands to make the biscuit dough. The dough will be smooth and slightly sticky, do not over knead it.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Take 30g of dough (about the size of a walnut) and roll the dough into an egg shape. Place on the baking tray, gently pressing down the top of each biscuit, and prick each one 3 times with a fork.
6. Place the baking trays in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the biscuits are lightly browned and cooked through. Continue with the rest of the dough.
7. When the biscuits come out of the oven, dip them immediately into the cold syrup, allow them to soak for 10 seconds, then flip them over with a slotted spoon and allow them to soak for another 10 seconds. Remove the biscuits, allowing the excess syrup to drip, place them on a platter, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon.
8. Store these biscuits in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 4 weeks.