Brownies with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes – Aka Greek Christmas Brownies

Categories : baked sweets, desserts & sweet snacks, easy peasy, Recipes

A deeply chocolatey, fudgy and moist one bowl brownie, stuffed with the Greek Christmas treats melomakarona (honey soaked spice cookies) and kourabiedes (almond shortbread cookies). Just in case you have any of those left over and you don’t know what to do with them!

Brownies with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes - Aka Greek Christmas Brownies www.thefoodiecorner.gr The brownies on their baking paper, cut into squares and slightly separated. Half of them (on the diagonal) have been sprinkled with icing sugar. At the bottom left, barely visible, is the small sieve used to sprinkle the sugar.

I don’t think there is a home in Greece today that doesn’t have a load of melomakarona and kourabiedes left over from Christmas. There are still huge tray-fulls in sweet shops and bakeries, and most people have eaten more than their fair share of these holiday delicacies. However, they still have centre-stage status, right up until the New Year. If you’ve not quite had enough of them yet, but you fancy enjoying them in a slightly different way, here is a suggestion.

Brownies with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes - Aka Greek Christmas Brownies www.thefoodiecorner.gr Close up of the brownies on the baking paper, two of them turned sideways to reveal the inside treats, a kourabie and a melomakarono cut in half when the brownie was cut.

Pop them in your brownies. I mean, we stuff oreos, snickers, mars bars, Cadbury crème eggs, and so many other sweet treats in brownies, why not these? The idea came to me a couple of days ago when I was contemplating putting together some sort of brownie trifle (maybe still to come). As I was wondering if I could combine melomakarona with brownies, it suddenly dawned on me that I could put melomakarona IN brownies! The next day I was still thinking about this, and I suddenly realised that hey, I could also put kourabiedes in. I mean, why not?

Brownies with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes - Aka Greek Christmas Brownies www.thefoodiecorner.gr Side view of the stack of brownies, against a a dark background, the light falling sideways and highlighting the light brown colour of the melomakarona inside the brownies.

If you don’t know what I’m even talking about, take a look at my recipes (here and here) for these gorgeous Christmas cookies, and if you’re all baked-out for now, bookmark them for next year! You really have to try them. Just make sure you put some aside for these brownies.

Brownies with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes - Aka Greek Christmas Brownies www.thefoodiecorner.gr Overhead view of the crumbled melomakarona and kourabiedes layed out in a downward messy line to the side of the metal grey surface.

By the way, this one bowl brownie recipe is my go-to recipe. They’re very good, even unstuffed!

Brownies with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes - Aka Greek Christmas Brownies www.thefoodiecorner.gr Overhead view of the flowery plate with a single brownie on it, turned sideways to reveal a cut side of kourabie and melomakarono. At the side of the plate is a mess of crumbled treats. All on a metal grey surface.

Ingredients

120gr dark chocolate, roughly chopped

170gr butter

250gr sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

30gr cocoa powder

150gr all purpose flour

4 melomakarona

4 kourabiedes, with most of the icing sugar shaken off

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160C fan (180C conventional) and grease a 25x18cm or similar sized baking tin. Line with baking paper so that the edges come up the sides.

Step 2

In a large bowl melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, at 20 second intervals, stirring well in between. Don’t be temped to leave for longer as burnt chocolate is useless.

Step 3

When the chocolate has melted, add the sugar and beat with a whisk. Add the salt, then the eggs while beating continuously.

Step 4

Add the cocoa to the bowl and beat so there aren’t any lumps. Add the flour and do the same, it might take some elbow action (see note). We want a smooth batter.

Step 5

Pour half the mixtue into the baking pan and alternate melomakarona and kourabiedes on top. Dollop the rest of the mixture on top. It will be annoying because the batter won’t stay on the kourabiedes, but be patient and try to get the dollops to come together to create a top layer of batter. Bake for 35 minutes.

Step 6

Let the brownies cool in the pan. Pull the sides of the baking paper up and transfer the brownies to a chopping board. Cut into 12 pieces (or 9 if you want them bigger).

Note: You can whisk the flour and cocoa beforehand to get rid of any lumps, but then it wouldn’t be a one bowl recipe. Personally I prefer the slight effort of mixing well, compared to the extra washing up!