Eleni Menelaou

Sarah Lyne Cake Shop

Melomakarona or Honey Macaroons
Makes 45

195g/1.5 cup vegetable shortening
240ml/1cup cooking oil
145g/1cup light brown sugar
1 egg
? cup brandy
Juice and zest of two tangerines
1tsp ground cloves
1tsp ground cinnamon
2tsps baking powder
3/4 to 1kg self-raising flour
500g/5 cups ground walnuts
For the syrup
520g/2 cups clear honey
240ml/1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1 slice of lemon

l To make the syrup, put all the ingredients in a heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously for about 10 to 15 minutes.
l Leave aside to cool. Beat together butter, oil and brown sugar until well combined. Add beaten egg, a little at a time, and incorporate well. Then add the brandy and tangerine juice and beat. Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, zest and spices.
l Set the oven to 180 C. Pinch small pieces of dough and shape; place on a tray lined with parchment. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden in colour.
l Dip the warm melomakarona in the cold syrup and let them soak up some syrup before taking them out. Roll in ground walnut and place on a plate.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.