Give a Gift of Homemade Greek Sweets

Whenever I think of Greek cookies, the first that come to mind are kourabiethes (also spelled kourambiedes). They are traditional celebration cookies, a shortbread-type of cookie often made with chunks of almonds and always dusted with, rolled in, or buried under a flurry of confectioner's sugar.

Because kourabiethes are white, they are a favorite at Greek weddings and baptisms.

The recipe in the photo is just one favorite, and there are several other versions.

In Greece, when we say "Christmas Cookies," we mean Melomakarona. They incorporate the tastes of cinnamon, cloves, nuts, and oranges - always seasonal favorites - but, of course, they are delicious any time of year! After the cookies have been baked, they are dipped in a spiced honey syrup, and topped with nuts.

Melomakarona do not include any dairy products or eggs.

There are several versions of Melomakarona cookies, including stuffed centers and one that is not dipped in syrup.

These wreath-shaped yeast sesame cookie rings are made once a year in certain areas of the Greek island of Crete: at Christmas. The cookies are made with the traditional Christmas tastes of cinnamon, cloves, and orange, and they contain no dairy products or eggs.

I confess. Galaktoboureko is my favorite sweet - and it isn't difficult to make. The lightly lemon-scented custard is enclosed in layers of thin, flaky phyllo (filo) dough, then topped with a light syrup after baking. Because it's baked in a large pan, Galaktoboureko can be turned into a gift with a wrapping of decorative cello film, or cut into pieces and given in smaller quantities. (Galaktoboureko can also be made as individual rollups.)

With tastes similar to Baklava, I actually prefer Kataifi, which is a nut mixture rolled up in strips of shredded phyllo (filo) dough. Thankfully, the dough comes in ready-to-use packages! Once the rolls are made, they can be baked in one large pan or in several smaller pans, depending on how many gifts you want to make. Like other classic pastries, Kataifi are soaked in a light honey syrup after baking.

These sweet cheese pastries are called kalitsounia (say: kah-leet-SOON-yah) and are a specialty of Crete, an island known for its culinary traditions. The recipe calls for a kneaded, rolled dough, which is wrapped around sweet cheese with a dash of cinnamon and a hint of orange.

Of all the recipes for Karythopita (also spelled Karydopita), this is my favorite, and the recipe comes from Cephalonia (Kefalonia), an island in the Ionian Sea. It calls for a touch of self-rising flour and results in a wonderful dark spice and nut cake soaked in a sweet, slightly spicy syrup, topped with a generous sprinkle of more walnuts.

Spoon sweets are Greek syrupy whole fruit preserves - although special varieties are also made with nuts and even small vegetables. These delicacies are very easy to make, and can be served in the traditional way - a spoonful of the sweet on a plate served with a glass of cold water - or used as sweet toppings for ice cream, yogurt, and cakes, and even as condiments with meat dishes. The type of spoon sweet you make will depend on the season. Some fruits, nuts, and vegetables are used when immature, and some when fully ripened.

Spoon sweets make an unusual gift, since they are largely unknown, so attach a note to your gift with serving suggestions!