MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: MELOMAKARONA * PHOENIKIA
  Categories: Foreign, Desserts
       Yield: 40 servings
  
   1 1/2 c  Honey
   1 1/2 c  Sugar; granulated
       1 c  -Water
       1 tb Lemon juice
       1 lb Walnuts; finely chopped
   1 1/4 c  Butter ; softened
       4 ts Cinnamon; ground (or more)
   1 1/2 c  Oil; vegetable
     1/2 c  Sugar; icing
       2    Oranges' strained juice
       2 tb Cognac or brandy
     1/4 ts Cloves; ground
     1/2 ts Nutmeg; ground
       1 ts Baking powder
     1/2 ts Baking soda
       6 c  Flour; all purpose (or more
       2 oz Walnuts; finely chopped
  
   (Author’s Note): Ancient and traditional small, spicy baked syruped
   cakes, these are perfect for a large buffet.  The nickname asserts
   their introduction into Greece by the Phoenicians, but not with these
   ingredients!  Within my lifetime I have seen the oil give way to
   butter and semolina succumb to flour. Combine the honey, granulated
   sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
   Remove from the heat. Combine the 1 pound finely chopped walnuts with
   1/4 cup of the softened butter, 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 5
   tablespoons of the syrup. Reserve the remaining syrup and set the
   filling aside while you prepare the dough. Using an electric mixer,
   cream the remaining butter (1 cup) with the oil until light and
   fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating on medium
   speed.  Add the orange juice slowly to the batter, along with the
   Cognac or brandy, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the other spices.
   In a small bowl, sift the baking powder, soda, and 2 cups of the
   flour together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and beat
   for a few minutes. Continuing to mix by hand, add only enough
   remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Knead. Break off small pieces
   of the dough and shape with your fingers into oblongs about
   2-1/2-inches long and 1-inch high. Flatten between your palms and
   place 1 teaspoon of the filling mixture in the center.  Work the
   dough around the filling to enclose it completely and press firmly to
   seal. This procedure sounds difficult, but with many hands it is
   quite simple. Place on a cookie sheet and continue until all the
   cakes are shaped.  Bake in a moderate oven (350 F) for 25 minutes,
   then cool on a rack.  Bring the syrup back to a boil.  Dip each cake
   into the syrup and arrange on a platter.  Sprinkle with the remaining
   chopped walnuts and teaspoon cinnamon, or more if desired.  Cool
   before storing.
   
   Note: You may bake and cool melomakarona, store a few days in advance
   and dip in syrup as described above a day or so before serving.  The
   flavor improves after a few days.
   
   From: “The Food of Greece” by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles.  Avenel
   Books, New York. Karen Mintzias I-Cooking Source: Karen Mintzias
   ~I-Cooking
  
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