CPA Newsletter

Traditional Greek sweets/cakes for Christmas and the New Year

Every country has its own Christmas and New Year traditions and special food. The Greeks are no exception to this and have a love of sweets! This month we give the recipies for a couple of traditional sweets so you can try them for yourselves.

Kourabiedes (Christmas shortbread)

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons brandy (if desired)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
1/3 cup icing sugar for decoration

Preparation

Sift flour with baking powder. Set aside.

Cream butter and gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg yolk, brandy (if desired) and vanilla. Beat again until very light. Stir in almonds.

Blend in flour mixture, mix to form a soft, smooth dough. Chill for 30 minutes or until it can be handled easily.

Preheat oven to 325�F / 170�C

Shape level tablespoonfuls of dough into crescent-shapes. Place 1 inch apart on greased proof paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until light...do not brown. Cool on rack. Dust generously with icing sugar.

New Year Pie - Vasilopita

Vasilopita (Βασιλόπιτα) is a traditional New Year's Day bread or cake in Greece and many other areas in Eastern Europe and the Balkans which contains a hidden coin or trinket which gives good luck to the receiver. It is made of a variety of dough, depending on regional and family tradition. It is associated with Saint Basil's day, January 1.

On New Year's Day families cut the Vasilopita to bless the house and bring good luck for the new year. A coin is wrapped and hidden in the bread by slipping it into the dough before baking.

The stories about the origins of this cake are numerous. The most well known is that in the 4th century the Holy Father Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia had coins baked into sweet bread made for the poor as a means of returning money to them.

It is said that one year, during a time of terrible famine, the emperor vasilopita

of the day levied an excessive tax upon the people of Caesarea.

The tax was such a heavy burden that to avoid debtor's prison each family had to relinquish its few remaining coins and pieces of jewellery, including precious family heirlooms. Learning of this injustice upon his flock, St. Basil took up his bishop's staff and the book of the holy Gospels and came to his people's defence by fearlessly calling the emperor to repentance. By God's grace, the emperor did repent! He cancelled the tax and instructed his tax collectors to turn over to St. Basil all of the chests containing the coins and jewellery which had been paid as taxes by the people. At that point, St. Basil was faced with the

daunting and impossible task of returning these thousands of coins

and pieces of jewellery to their rightful owners.

After praying, St. Basil had all the treasures baked into one huge pie (pita). He then called all the townspeople to prayer at the cathedral, and after praying, he blessed and cut the pita, giving a piece to each person. Miraculously, each owner received his own valuables in his piece of Vasilopita. The townspeople all returned home, giving thanks to God who had delivered them from poverty and to their good and holy bishop St. Basil the Great.

Ingredients

1 cup of unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

Grated rind of 2 large oranges

Grated rind of 2 large lemons

4 cups of flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 egg yolk blended with 1 tablespoon milk

sesame seeds

blanched almonds

a clean coin - wrapped in foil

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 180�C/350�f/Gas mark 4

2. Thickly butter a 10-inch round pan.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light. Add the eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition. Add the orange and lemon rinds.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together three cups of the flour, the baking powder and salt.
5. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the dry mixture alternately with the milk. The batter will be very thick. Using a wooden spoon, gradually blend in the remaining flour, beating well until completely smooth.
6. Spread the batter into the pan, press the coin into the dough until it is completely covered (don't let anyone see where you place it!), and then smooth the top. Brush the top evenly with the egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Gently press the blanched almonds into the top to make a sign of a Cross and spell out the date of the New Year.
7. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown (if it browns too quickly, cover the top with aluminium foil). Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing from spring form and thoroughly cool before slicing.