The M Cave Cookbook

KURABIA (ARMENIAN BUTTER COOKIE)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. butter

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Galaktoboureko: Greek Custard Pie

Galaktoboureko is a classic Greek dessert that is made with a creamy semolina custard that is wrapped in layers of buttery phyllo and drenched in aromatic syrup. Gala means milk in Greek and boureki is a pie. So delicious!

Important Tips:

• Make the syrup first: When making syrup-based desserts, the syrup should be cool and the pastry hot. This keeps the phyllo crisp.

• Keep whisking the custard: do not step away from the saucepan while the custard is cooking or it will stick to the bottom and burn. There’s no saving burned custard.

• Do not overcook the custard: the custard will continue to thicken as it cools. As soon as the custard comes to a boil, it will be at the perfect consistency. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. If it thickens too much, add some more milk to thin it…

One of my favorite holiday cookies! 😍

Melomakarona recipe (Greek Christmas Honey Cookies)

[Brief history]

Melomakarona means "Honey-Blessed" cookies! They are also called "Finikia" (Phoenician) cookies. Originating in Minor Asia, they are a widely popular dessert that was adopted by Greeks, Turks, and Armenians, as a Christmas offering to their guests.

• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos