Amygdalota (No Bake Almond Cookies, with white chocolate)

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Amygdalota pr. Ah-mee-gdah-loh-TAH, take their name from amygdala, which means almonds in Greek and are no bake Greek cookies from the Greek islands (Cyclades), made with blanched almonds and sugar. 

Although my amygdalota are coated with white chocolate, these no bake cookies are shaped liked small pears, usually with a clove inserted on the top. They are then dipped in rose water and showered with icing or crystal sugar.

These desserts were offered at any festive event, be it a wedding, engagement or baptism of a child.

Nowadays there are so many options to offer on these occasions that amygdalota are not used any more.

However, if you want to follow the traditions, you can offer these amazing and aromatic morsels at your child’s christening.

They can be shaped the traditional way or cut them with a cookie cutter and dip them in sugar. After they dry, wrap them in cellophane and tie each one with a ribbon.

They are so easy to make that your children would love to help you making them.

My tweaked Amygdalota

There are a few versions of Amygdalota, either baked or not.

The idea of making them without baking was born one day when I was making the almond paste for my Christmas cake.

Another day, I made these cookies the traditional way but filled them with mandarin marmalade!

They are great to make during Christmas, with or without chocolate!

At the end you will find my recipe for Amygdalota (No Bake Almond Cookies, with white chocolate)

Chocolate Citrus Almond balls

Ingredients:

• 250 grams (8.80 oz) almonds, blanched and ground
• 235 grams (8.30 oz) icing sugar, sieved
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 50 grams butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup citrus spoon preserve (orange, Seville orange, bergamot etc), finely chopped
• Citrus blossom water (about 2 – 3 tablespoons)

 Chocolate glaze:

• 125 grams milk chocolate
• 1 tsp butter
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Pilfar Orange liqueur

Directions:

1. Blanch the almonds and let them dry.   Grind them with some icing sugar in a food processor until powdered.
2. Add the remaining icing sugar as well as all the other ingredients and mix.
3. Finally add enough blossom water until they hold together.
4. In a double boiler melt the chocolate with 1 tsp butter and 3 tbsp heavy cream.  Mix in the liqueur.
5. Add the melted chocolate in the almond paste, together with the citrus fruit preserve and mix.
6. Shape them into pears and place them on parchment paper to dry.
7. Serve them in cupcake cases.
8. During summer keep them refrigerated

At the end of the post, you will find my recipe for Amygalota with White Chocolate. A similar recipe is included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!

Since I am posting this recipe during the Christmas period, I would like to tell you a few things about Greek Christmas traditions:

Greek Christmas Traditions

On Christmas Eve  one of the few traditions,  preserved in its entirety to this day, is Kalanta.

Kalanta are similar to Christmas carols and are sung on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Epiphany Eve, each time with a different song.

All the children go around from house to house in small groups, some playing a musical instrument such as a guitar or a harmonica but the most usual one is a metallic triangle held in one hand and hit with a wand producing a metallic sound.

On each of the above three occasions they would sing different carols, which usually describe the occasion and end up by wishing the landlord good health and prosperity.

In the past the children would be given traditional sweets such as kourabiedes, melomakarona, amygdalota, etc., but now they are only tipped with some coins.

These are the traditional Carols, sang on Christmas Eve.

I also wish all of you Happiness, Health and Prosperity.

Kala Christougenna “Merry Christmas”.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

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