Kourabiedes (christmas desert with butter and sugar)

I'll continue with another traditional christmas desert, kourabiedes, which is just a cookies with butter, sugar and almonds covered with lots of icing sugar. These, along with melomakarona, are the two deserts that can be found only the period before Christmas. 

 

Ingredients

2 cups butter (about 500 gr.)
3/4 cup icing sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons
1 cup chopped almonds (about 200 gr.)
4 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder or baking soda
icing sugar for sprinkling

 

How To Make

Melt the butter and whip together with the icing sugar for 10-15 minutes or more - the more is better - to be whiten and fluffy. Meanwhile put the lemon zest with 1 teaspoon of sugar in a bowl and refrigerate - this is to give more aroma and to melt entirely.
When the butter - icing sugar mix is ready, add salt, vanilla extract, baking powder, lemon zest and 3 cups flour and knead continuously. At first it will be quite difficult as the pastry is sticky, but as you continue it is easier.
Then add the almonds and finally pour the last cup of flour gradually, until the mixture isn't sticky anymore. You may not need the whole cup. 

 

Turn on the oven to 175 and cover a baking pan with wax paper. Prepare kourampiedes with coupe-pates or round and put them in the pan like shown in the picture above. 

Bake for 25 minutes until they begin to turn red. Let them cool completely. Sprinkle a platter or a pan with icing sugar and place over the kourabiedes, close to each other, and sprinkle over again with lots of icing sugar. Allow to stand for a while and ready!

Find it in Greek here.