Melomakarona
Preparation time: 15 mins
Time Baking: 30 mins
Biscuits: 80
Ingredients:
For the syrup
500ml water
800g sugar
150g honey
2 to 3 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
1 orange cut in the middle
Mixture 1: All liquid ingredients with herbs together
400ml orange juice
400ml seed oil such as sunflower or rapeseed
180ml olive oil
50g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoons cloves
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Zest of 2 oranges
Mix 2: All solid materials
1 kilo plain flour
200g fine semolina
Method:
For the syrup
Our syrup has to be cooled before usage so we make sure we start it at least four hours before we finish baking our Melomakarona. This is because once we take them out of the oven, we should "baptise" them in syrup... There's a reason I use the word "baptise."
Combine all the ingredients for the syrup, except for the honey, to boil. Once the mixture has come to the boil, remove the pan from the heat and then add the honey. Stir well to homogenise the mixture and melt the honey in the syrup and let it cool.
For the Melomakarona
Preheat our fan oven to 190c or for the more traditional it is 210c.
Then we mix all the liquid Ingredients of the mixture 1 with herbs in a large bowl and mix well with a whisk to be homogenised.
In a different mixing bowl mix our flour with semolina so to be well combined.
Then we add The liquids Materials In Solid and stir very gently with your hands, for No more than 10-12 seconds, or we'll break the mixture.. Time is enough to homogenise all the ingredients together.
Form The Melomakarona As uniformly as possible (3-4 cm diameter, 30 g each) and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they become crispy and get nice color. To be honest, because I use an electronic scale, it is much easier for me to weigh them every 30 grams and then to form "small boats".
Just Cook, Dip Hot Melomakaronas in cold syrup and leave for 10-15 seconds. Do not leave them above in order to avoid hard Melomakarona... Because they're too hot, they suck the cold syrup like a sponge. Usually keeps them 7-8 seconds floating on one side and tie the syrup for the same time and the other. Then strain and sprinkle with honey and walnuts.
ΤIp: Do not mould the Melomakarona into their ball shapes for more than 10 – 12 seconds. If we work the mixture too much, there is a risk that a large amount of our oil will be lost and they will lose their crisp shell and become too soft all over.
