Kourambethes Greek Shortbread Recipe
Today is National Shortbread Day and for me this traditional Greek shortbread biscuit is a great addition to the shortbread family. The icing sugar covered biscuits look like snow capped mountains. The biscuit melts in your mouth and the flavour of butter and almonds leaves you wanting more.
I make mine smaller than most so they can be eaten in one mouthful, so when you reach for a second biscuit you have in reality only had 1/2 of a normal sized biscuit.
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1 Tablespoon brandy or ouzo
- 1½ cups plain flour
- ½ cup of toasted flaked almonds
- Beat the butter and icing sugar together for 10 minutes until white and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk and beat for another 10 minutes.
- Add the brandy or ouzo to the butter egg mixture and beat until combined.
- With your beater on a low speed add the flour and the almonds and mix until just combined.
- You do not want to beat out all the air you have added to the biscuits.
- Form the mixture into small crescent or rounds.
- If you are making round balls pinch the tops of the biscuits so that when you dust them with icing sugar the icing stays on top of the biscuit.
- Bake at 160 degrees C for about 20 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are a light brown.
If you miss a Greek holiday try my kourambethes with an espresso or Greek coffee and reminisce of warmer times, when time stands still.