If you happen to walk into a bakery or confectioners around Christmas time in Greece, don’t be surprised at the sight of a massive mound of biscuits heavily laden with icing sugar.
“Snowed down” kourabiedes are a must in every household whether bought or homemade and what’s certain is that you don’t stop after the first bite.
A crunchy, mouth watering biscuit that melts in your mouth leaving an aftertaste of roasted almonds and aromatic butter.
Kourabiedes are quite easy to make and a must in every Greek home at Christmas.
Guests coming to visit and exchange gifts are treated to this traditional sweet.
A housewife’s nightmare too, since icing sugar inevitably drops on the carpet and leaves tell-tale signs everywhere.
So, there’s no denying it that you’ve pinched a couple from the platter on the dining room table.
The origins of kourabiedes are believed to be from Asia Minor –
the name of this traditional Greek biscuit is Persian for butter biscuits in sugar (qurabiya).
Refugees from Caesarea, who settled in a town near Kavalla called Nea Karvali in Northern Greece, brought the recipe with them.
Other traditional Christmas sweets are: melomakarona (walnut honey biscuits) and diples (thin pastry deep-fried to a golden color, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon).
Christmas is indeed not a time to go on a slimming diet!
Too many delicious temptations … if you ask me!