Cretan Olive Oil Biscuits
Recipe for Cretan Olive Oil Biscuits. These biscuits also contain Raki which is the national drink of Crete. Do not confuse it with aniseed flavoured raki of other nations or with ouzo. Raki is also known as Tsikoudia and is a distilled spirit derived from grape pomace
Ingredients
250mls olive oil
125g sugar
30mls boiled cinnamon water, (start with 50mls water)
30mls raki
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove
60mls orange juice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
400g flour plus extra for kneading
- Place the oil, sugar, boiled cinnamon water, raki and spices in a bowl and mix well until fully incorporated. Mix the orange juice and baking soda, together then add to the bowl.
- Combine the flour and the baking powder and mix by hand until you have a soft dough that is easy to shape. You may need a little extra flour to kneed together or to dust the bench with.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape it into logs, about 4 cm in diameter. Place them on the tray and cut them into slices with a sharp knife, but not right through to the bottom. The dough should still remain intact as a large piece.
- Bake at 180 ° C for 40 minutes or until the biscuits are a golden color.
- Let the biscuits cool slightly and then with a sharp knife separate the slices from each other and spread them side by side in the tray and bake them again at 150 ° C for 30 – 35 minutes or until they become crunchy.
