PREPARATION
Start preparing the filling, the night before. Place the dried fruit into a bowl, along with the brandy and let it soak overnight. In the morning, place the dried fruit, which are now softened, in a colander and store the remaining brandy so as to use it in the dough.
Beat the walnuts for the filling in the food processor. Then put them in a bowl. Do the same with the chocolate, pulse it in the food processor and add it in the bowl with the walnuts. After, place the dried fruit in the food processor and pulse to a pulp. They will resemble a thick jam. Add the chocolate and walnuts to the fruit pulp and mix well to create a thick mixture. Using a teaspoon, take a small portion and form it into small ball shapes, using your hands. Do the same with the rest if the mixture. Allow to sit.
Now boil the cinnamon sticks for the syrup. Boil for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes, after that remove the sticks. Add the honey and agave nectar in the cinnamon tea. Mix well until they melt and then allow the syrup to cool.
Now start preparing the cookie dough. In a big bowl put the orange juice, stevia sweetener, baking soda and beat with a whisk. Notice that the mixture rises and bubbles. In this way, the baking soda is activated. Continue mixing, until the stevia sweetener melts.
Now add the olive oil, zest, brandy and raki. Add the clove and cinnamon powders and continue mixing. Now you must add the flours, mixed with the fine-grained semolina. Start mixing and kneading the dough with your hands so as to make it workable.
Place a pastry sheet on tray and begin to form the Christmas cookies. Take a small piece of dough and shape it into a small ball, the size of a walnut. Press it in the center and place the ball filling which you have earlier prepared. Then cover the filling with the dough carefully, using your fingers and form cookies into small round shapes. Place the round shaped cookies on the pastry sheet and continue the same procedure.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 25-30 minutes, depending on the oven.
Now you must be careful! Once you take the Christmas cookies out of the oven, you must submerge them in the syrup you have prepared. Dip them in the cold syrup, hot as they are. Be cautious to dip them one at a time and allow them to sit for 2-3 seconds. The reason we do this is because the cookies are filled and the dough around the filling, that will absorb the syrup, is particularly thin, in contrast to the common Christmas cookies which are not filled and need more time in the syrup so as to absorb it. So be cautious that the filled cookies are not softened by the syrup.
When ready, you may sprinkle them with roughly ground walnuts. If you love chocolate, you can double boil dark chocolate isostevia® and pour it on top.
