Melomakarona (Honey cookies)

Ingredients

• 9 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 3 cups Powered Sugar
• 2 cups Semolina fine
• 2 cups Unsalted margarine
• 2 cups Corn Oil
• 1/2 cup Orange Juice freshly squeezed
• 2 Orange zest
• 1 tbsp Baker's Ammonia
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1 3/4 cups Water
• 5 1/2 pounds Sugar (For syrup)
• 7 cups Water
• 1/2 cup Honey
• walnuts chopped, for garnish
• Greek honey for garnish
• Greek Olive Oil for brushing

Directions

We start by preparing the syrup: put in a large saucepan all the ingredients and boil on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, until it slightly thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat. We prepare the syrup in the beginning to give it enough time to cool off.

Then in order to make our melomakarona fluffier sift in a large bowl both the all purpose and semolina flour.

In a mixer's bowl beat the margarine, corn oil and powdered sugar to combine. We then add the cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, baking powder and when incorporated, pour in the orange juice and water. Then add the ammonia and orange zest and continue mixing to combine.

Pour this mixture into the flour bowl and knead to combine. Make sure not to overknead, because dough will be unmanageable and it will be hard to shape our "melomakarona".

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.

Take small pieces of dough and shape into cookies. Place them on a slightly greased cookie sheet and continue, until you have shaped all the dough.

Bake cookies in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven. While hot, dip a few at a time in the previously prepared syrup. Allow them to absorb the syrup for about 30 seconds. Remove cookies with a slotted spoon and place them on a pastry rack

Place the "melomakarona" on a platter, sprinkle with walnuts, add some honey and serve.