Phoenician Honey Cakes (Melomakarona or Finikia)

These small honey cakes offered to callers at a Greek home at Christmas and New Year. The recipe for these cakes is said to have been brought to Greece by the Phoenicians. I don't make them often, as they are far too indulgent for an everyday kind of snack - they are a special treat! Best served with a Turkish coffee.

Ingredients

• 375 ml olive oil (use one of the light varieties)
• 375 ml unsalted butter, softened
• 125ml sugar
• 375 ml orange juice (or half retsina or dry white wine)
• 10 ml baking powder
• 125 ml brandy
• Grated orange rind
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1.3 kilos of all purpose flour
• Chopped walnuts or almonds
• Cinnamon
• A syrup made by boiling together 375 ml honey, 375 ml sugar and 375 ml water and the juice of 1 lemon for 5 minutes.

Methodology

• Preheat the oven to 180 C and lightly oil several baking sheets.
• Beat together the olive oil, butter and sugar.
• Dissolve the baking powder in the orange juice and combine in a jug with the brandy and orange rind. Beat the liquid into the oil and sugar mixture and then gradually add the flour until a soft dough is formed.
• Knead the dough lightly and form little balls the size and shape of an egg; flatten balls lightly on an oiled baking sheet.
• Bake in a moderate oven (190 C) for 15-25 minutes until they are browned. When the cakes are cooked, take them from the oven and while they are still warm, lower each one into the hot syrup for 2/3 minutes.
• Place them on greaseproof paper to cool. Sprinkle them with chopped walnuts or almonds and cinnamon.