Melomakarona

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.

2. In a small bowl sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In a separate, large bowl combine the 1 cup of sugar, the olive oil, the orange juice, the cinnamon, the cloves and the orange zest. Stir well using a balloon whisk until all ingredients unite well.

4. After that using your fingers add the flour mixture, cup by cup, adding it slowly until the mixture forms a dough that is not too firm. It should be wet but not sticky. Remember not to knead the dough too much the because cookies will not be fluffy.

5. To make the cookies, pinch a portion of dough off about the size of a large walnut and shape in your palms into an oblong shape. Do not make them too big because they will double in size as they cook.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet leaving plenty of space in between.

5. Bake in a preheated 160-degree C oven for 25 minutes.

6. When the cookies are baked remove from oven and set aside to cool well.

7. When they are cooled, prepare the syrup.

8. In a large saucepan, combine the 4 cups of water, 4 cups of sugar, the thyme honey and the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 7 minutes over a low heat. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and one by one submerge every cookie in the syrup for 6 seconds and then place them again on the cookie sheet.

9. Wnen you have finished with all the cookies, take the remaining syrup and with a tablespoon sprinkle the cookies again with syrup. Leave them to rest for 10 minutes.

10. For the end, we sprinkle the tops of the cookies with walnuts
and place them on a platter.

11. Store melomakarona in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks or even more. Don’t put them in the fridge – they will harden.