ΒΑΘΜΟΣ ΔΥΣΚΟΛΙΑΣ
εύκολο
ΧΡΟΝΟΣ
30'
ΑΤΟΜΑ
4
ΥΛΙΚΑ
- 4 cups soft flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter, chilled
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 1–2 tears of mastic, pounded with 1 tbsp of the sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ small tub strained yogurt
- 1 egg yolk lightly beaten with a little water (for brushing)
Περιγραφή
In the old days, kneading special sweet breads and cookies for Easter symbolized rebirth and blessing. The flour “comes to life” and is transformed into bread or a cookie, an emblem of the resurrection of nature and life. Even the characteristic braided shape given to the cookies is not accidental. According to folk tradition, the braiding of the dough is believed to drive away evil spirits. In this way, Easter cookies, like tsourekia, serve not only as a sweet treat but also as a talisman, bringing good luck to the home.
Moreover, Easter cookies are not just another sweet, but a social ritual that brings families and communities together. Tradition holds that, on Holy Thursday, every housewife dedicates the day to kneading cookies and tsourekia. Often, grandmothers, mothers, and grandchildren gather around the basin of flour, exchanging tips and recipe secrets as they shape imaginative designs out of dough. Children learn alongside their elders how to braid “plaits” and make “little snails,” thus continuing the custom. The house fills with the aromas of vanilla, orange, and fresh butter, scents inextricably linked with Easter memories.
There is also a strong symbolism of hospitality and community. The cookies are a traditional treat for those who visit the home during the days of Easter. On Easter Sunday, after the Resurrection meal, coffee is almost always accompanied by a plate full of cookies. These humble biscuits function as a bond between people, a symbol of love, offering, and gathering around a shared tradition, as, at the end of Holy Week, it is customary to distribute them after the church service, as well as in homes, accompanying wishes such as “Many happy returns.”
Moreover, Easter cookies are not just another sweet, but a social ritual that brings families and communities together. Tradition holds that, on Holy Thursday, every housewife dedicates the day to kneading cookies and tsourekia. Often, grandmothers, mothers, and grandchildren gather around the basin of flour, exchanging tips and recipe secrets as they shape imaginative designs out of dough. Children learn alongside their elders how to braid “plaits” and make “little snails,” thus continuing the custom. The house fills with the aromas of vanilla, orange, and fresh butter, scents inextricably linked with Easter memories.
There is also a strong symbolism of hospitality and community. The cookies are a traditional treat for those who visit the home during the days of Easter. On Easter Sunday, after the Resurrection meal, coffee is almost always accompanied by a plate full of cookies. These humble biscuits function as a bond between people, a symbol of love, offering, and gathering around a shared tradition, as, at the end of Holy Week, it is customary to distribute them after the church service, as well as in homes, accompanying wishes such as “Many happy returns.”
Εκτέλεση
Beat the butter βούτυροin the mixer together with the sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy. Add the egg and the lemon zest. When they are incorporated into the mixture, fit the dough hooks on the mixer and add the pounded mastic, the yogurt in which you have mixed the baking soda, and the flour combined with the baking powder. Mix well until you have a pliable, soft dough. Shape your cookies and arrange them on a buttered baking tray. Brush them with the egg yolk and bake them in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.