Ghraybeh are delicious and delicate Middle Eastern cookies that melt in your mouth. Whilst every effort is made to ensure traditional recipes are provided, it is acknowledged that every Lebanese village will have its own ‘special touches’. Thus the recipes passed down from one generation to another often vary slightly from village to village. We view this as part of the rich Lebanese culture.

INGREDIENTS: (Makes approximately 30 biscuits)

• 125 grams of softened butter
• ¾ cup of sifted icing sugar
• 1½ cups of sifted plain flour
• 1 tablespoon of orange blossom
• 30 whole blanched almonds (i.e. one for each biscuit)

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
2. Mix the butter, icing sugar and orange blossom until creamy and smooth
3. Add flour to the butter contents and mix gently until combined
4. Once the ingredients are combined, take 2 teaspoons’ worth of the mixture and roll into a ball shape
5. Place the ball-shaped mixtures onto lined baking trays
6. Press a whole blanched almond into each ball and flatten the ball slightly to create the desired round ‘Ghraybeh shape’.
7. Bake the biscuits for approximately 20 minutes, allowing them to be lightly golden and cooked through.
8. Biscuits to cool on the trays
9. Often served with coffee

This recipe was inspired by SBS