Greek Cookies

Tomorrow will be our third Grecian Festival and potluck.  Will I long for those days 10 years from now, I seriously doubt it.  But, I did my part for the themed potluck today.  I made Greek cookies.  Not bad. 

Most Greek cookies have nuts.  Our kids school is a nut free institution so it was a challenge.  I found a recipe for Greek Eastern Cookies.  Sort of like hard sugar cookies.  Great for dipping in Sambuca or a deep rich  espresso. 

The hardest part of this recipe is the individual rolling of each cookie. 

4 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
8 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. orange zest
1 egg (for the wash)

Sift together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.  Beat the butter with the sugar until creamy.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beat well after each yolk.  Add milk.  Add flour a little at a time.  I added it in 4 times until completely incorporated.  Then add in the orange rind.  The dough should be thick and easy to work with.

Break off a small piece.  Roll it into a pencil size strip that is about a foot long.  Fold the end 1/3 of the way in and then take the other side and fold it over that.  So the cookie looks a bit like a swirl.  Use the remaining egg, beat it and use a brush to coat the cookie.

Bake them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper at 350.  About 15 minutes or until browned. 

Make a rich coffee, sit down and dunk.