• Vegetable shortening/butter (250g / 1 and 2/3 cups)
• ½ cup Icing sugar (90g)
• 3 tbsp Brandy/Cognac (30ml)
• 3 tbsp Zivania (or Tsipouro) (30ml)
• ¼ cup Rose water (60 ml)
For dusting
• Icing sugar (1 package / 500g)
METHOD
1. Coarsely chop the almonds with a knife. Do not grind them, as they might turn into powder. If you cannot find pre-toasted almonds, toast them yourself. Place the almonds on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes. Let them cool and then coarsely chop them.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and almonds. In another bowl or the mixer bowl, place the vegetable shortening and icing sugar and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed and add half of the flour mixture, the brandy, the zivania, and the rose water. Then, add the remaining flour mixture spoonful by spoonful. The dough will stick slightly to our hands. Set it aside.
3. Take 20g of dough and shape it into a ball. Then, form a 12 cm log and close it into a horseshoe shape. Place the kourabiedes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 25 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and let them cool for 3-4 minutes.
5. Transfer them to parchment paper where you have spread plenty of icing sugar. This will help the icing sugar stick to the base of the kourabiedes. Put plenty of icing sugar in a sieve and dust the kourabiedes. If you wish, brush them first with a little rose water and then dust with icing sugar.
