Gooey, sticky traditional melomakarona or Greek Christmas honey cookies with delicious festive flavours. There's no way you'll be able to eat just one!
Zest the orange, then combine the zest with the sugar in a large bowl.
Pour the oils into the sugar/orange mixture and beat until well combined. Then add the orange juice and brandy and beat again.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda, then add to the liquid little by little until a stiff, wet dough forms. You may not need to use all the flour, or you may need a little more.
Pull off a walnut-sized piece of dough and shape it into a ball / oval in your hands, then place it on a baking sheet. Use a fork to flatten the dough and make a criss-cross pattern on it. Keep shaping and flattening balls of dough until it is all used up.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.
To make the syrup
While the cookies are in the oven, make the syrup. Combine the honey, sugar, water, cinnamon, lemon peel and cloves in a saucepan, then bring to the boil.
Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until the syrup has thickened slightly.
Take out the cinnamon, lemon peel and cloves and stir in the lemon juice.
Dipping the cookies in the syrup
While the cakes are still very warm, float them in the syrup a few at a time, turning them over to make sure they soak up plenty of liquid.
After about 30 seconds, take the cookies out with a fork or spoon with holes in. Put them on a serving plate.
Press some walnuts into the top and sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon over them.
Once you've covered your plate, you can pile the others on top of each other if you like - this is how they are usually sold and served in Greece!
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Notes
What to do with the leftover syrup: Don't pour away any leftover syrup. Simply drizzle it all over the top of the cookies. The more syrup sinking into these babies the better!How to store them: These are best kept in an airtight container at room temperature. You can keep them in the fridge, but they'll have a different texture. How long they last: You can also confidently make them well ahead of Christmas (or any time you like really) as they will last for about a month. They actually get better after a few days after all the lovely syrup has sunk in.How to freeze them: Freeze the cookies BEFORE dunking for best results. Just let cool completely, then freeze between layers of baking paper in freezer safe containers. Freeze for up to 6 months. Let defrost, then dunk in the syrup and finish off the recipe!How to give as a gift: Line a gift box with baking paper and stack the cookies in the box. Add a lid and ribbons for a really lovely gift that everyone seems to like!