Kourambiedes, a recipe from an Alexandrian lady

Returing to cooking after Kavafis' poem, the first recipe I thought appropriate is the one I am using for kourambiedes. It belonged to a lady from Alexandria I met in America many years ago and was given to me by her daughter.

I used this recipe many many times over the years, mainly for giving the sweets as a gift. It never failed me!

Kourambiedes
(recipe of Mrs. Athineou)

Ingredients

250 gr. pure butter, softened (leave it out of the refrigerator till it is soft)
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons of cognac (it can be replaced by vanilla powder)
150-200 gr. roasted almonds
flour (about 800 gr. , as much as the dough will take, i.e. "judge by the eye" as we say)
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

In a bowl mix the butter with the sugar and beat well till the mixture becomes fluffy (you can use the mixer, I do it with a rubber spatula). Add the egg and beat well. Add the cognac or vanilla and mix. Add the almonds.

Add flour and start working it in, till the dough is soft and can be shaped.

Shape in half moons. Place on a lightly greased oven tray and bake atabout 160 degrees C till they are golden.

Brush with water and sprinkle with a lot of powdered sugar.

Καλή Επιτυχία!
(meaning Good Luck; my mother always writes this phrase at the end of the recipes she copied in her recipe book and the ones she sents to me over the years. )

I should note that I make these kourambiedes to some friends in Italy every time I go to see them for the last 15 years. They love them! Sometimes the sweets turn out to be a little overbaked, sometimes they have less almonds, often I don't use the exact recipe measures, but every time these friends find them better than the previous time and ask me what is the secret! It is a great satisfaction for me to hear their comments: "they absorb just enough when they are immersed in espresso", "the butter flavour is more pronunced than last time", the almonds are more cooked", ... Every time they find something original to say!