Easter butter Cookies (koulourakia paschalina)

Steps

before starting

• The day before (or several hours before) take the butter out of the refrigerator to soften it

for the koulourakia

• Preheat the oven at 180°C
• In a bowl, add:
  • the flour
  • the baking powder
• Stir everything together with a whisk
• Beat the remaining egg as an omelet
• Start beating the butter with an electric hand mixer
• Add the sugar and continue beating
• Add the egg and continue beating
• Add the vanilla extract and continue beating
• Add the orange juice and continue beating
• Add the cognac and continue beating
• Add the orange zest and continue beating
• Add the flour by batches, and continue beating after each addition; at the end you will be forced to work the dough with your hands (you should not manipulate it a lot though), there should be enough flour in the dough as to be able to form the cookies
• Place some parchment paper on top of a tray going into the oven
• Take some dough in your hands and form a long strip
• For the biscuits in the form of two circles: fold the two edges of the cord towards the center and continue to fold until they touch each other, at the end you will have two folded circles
• For the biscuits in the form of braid: form a small braid with the strip of dough
• Place the biscuits one by one onto the tray and be careful to leave some space between them because they grow during baking
• Spread some egg with a baking brush on top of each cookie
• Bake for 30’-35’
• Delicious!
• :-)

What’s the story behind this recipe?

These cookies are prepared during the Holy Week for Easter  We call them koulourakia paschalina  or κουλουράκια Πασχαλινά :-)There are plenty of recipes but this one is my favorite :-) The cookies have a nice texture and we can smell and taste the different ingredients :-) The recipe comes from Mrs Ismini who is a neighbor in Greece, and makes the best koulourakia que j’aies jamais mangés !

Inspiration

The recipe of Mrs Ismini my neighbor in Greece :-)