Koulourakia: Cypriot Easter Cookies

These Easter Cookies are traditional Cypriot Easter buns, which although Lenten are traditionally made on Good Friday.
They are flavored with oriental spices but also with Chios mastic and their aromas resemble those of Easter Tsoureki. They are ideally suited to our coffee and we certainly have more than one.
Daktylies is a type of long shaped-bread, which is separated into smaller parallel pieces, in order to be cut off easier and evenly. The ingredients used for daktylies are flour, leaven, water, sesame seeds and aniseed. Many housewives in the countryside continue the tradition and bake daktylies for the needs of the family.
Yours!

work: 45′

time: 3h:30′

medium:

★Click with your mouse on the images to learn more.

Announcement New Book Release

With great pleasure we inform you that issued the New Book of Kitchen Stories titled «Μεζέδες». It includes a collection of 45 savory recipes for easy and practical everyday food solutions but also quick finger foods for festive table or buffet.


Excerpt from the introduction:
«Αναρωτιέμαι συχνά που είναι το απόγειο της μαγειρικής. Είναι τα πιο φρέσκα υλικά, οι πιο πολύπλοκες γεύσεις είναι το καθημερινό ή το σπάνιο; Δεν είναι τίποτε απ΄όλα αυτά. Το απόγειο δεν είναι ούτε η κατανάλωση του φαγητού ούτε το μαγείρεμα, αλλά η προσφορά του φαγητού και η συντροφικότητα…»


Email Contact & orders: kitchenstories08@gmail.com or order online at amazon.

Υλικά (50-60 Koulourakia) 1kg (2.2 lbs) flour for all-purpose 9g (0.32oz) dry yeast 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground Chios mastic 1 tsp machlepi 1 tsp ground cloves 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla	100g (3.5oz) vegetable oil, corn oil 600g (1.3lbs) lukewarm water 200g (7.1oz) sugar 150g (5.3oz) sesame seeds not peeled 1 tbsp anise Put the sesame in a colander and rinse it under running water. Let it drain and spread it on a tray, pour the anise and stir. We leave it aside for when you need it. Pour all the ingredients in the mixer bin. Keep some of the water to use it if the dough will need it.	Knead a soft dough that does not stick to the hands. If necessary add a tablespoon of flour.
Divide the dough into 5 pieces and rolled into rolls 25-28cm (9.8-11 in).	Wrap the roll in sesame to stick well.	Cut the roll into oblique slices ~1.5cm (~0.6 in) thick. Assemble the roll again, leaving the edges as they are and sticking together the next pieces, turning the opposite.
Place them on a large baking sheet. Cover with a towel and a blanket and let it inflate for 1½-2 hours.	Preheat the oven with air at 190℃ (374℉, Gas Mark:5) and bake until golden brown ~30'.	Take them out of the oven and let them become lukewarm so you can separate them with the hands on their joints. If you want put them back in the oven for 10' to become slightly crisp.

Author Zambia G. Sifaki