Greek Wedding and Cookies/Kourambiedes

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Amanda Lily had the great honor of being a flower girl in her Greek God parents wedding last weekend. The wedding was a beautiful blend of Greek American traditions. We had a wonderful time, and wish the bride and groom many years of love and happiness.

Steven and the groom Demo just before the ceremony. 

The flower girls

Doing their jobs

Stefena or Crowns Ceremony

At the reception

Beautiful!

Amanda Lily's all time favorite cookie is a Greek Kourambiede. It's a cookie that's been generously dusted with powdered sugar. Here is our family's recipe. There shouldn't be too many versions of this recipe out there, as it is a traditional cookie that has been served in Greece at weddings and christenings for many generations. 

GREEK WEDDING COOKIES

1 lb. unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1 oz brandy

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

3 3/4 cups flour, sifted

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup ground almonds

1 box of powdered sugar for coating

Heat oven to 350. Soften butter to room temperature. Beat butter in blender until fluffy. continue beating and add sugar, egg yolk, orange juice, brandy, and extracts. Next beat in flour and cornstarch until soft dough forms. Remove dough from bowl and form a ball. Blend in almonds.

Shape dough into crescent shapes or walnut sized balls. Do Not press down or flatten.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet, approx 1/2 inch apart. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or until golden brown.

While cookies are baking, sift some of the box of powdered sugar onto a cutting board or flat surface. Remove cookies from oven. Using a spatula immediately transfer hot cookies to sugared surface. Do not crowd cookies or place them on top of each other. Coat with sugar. Cool for several hours before serving. Place in individual cup cake liners to serve as petit fours. Sprinkle with one final dusting of confectioners sugar.

Below is a photo of the Kourambiedes I made a couple of years ago for my niece Sophie's Christening. It is a Greek tradition to have these sweets in your home when your family is celebrating a wedding or christening. These two batches are the ones I packaged up for my sister in law and mother in law to have in their homes.