Melekounia from Rhodes Greece

In the island of Rhodes it's tradition to offer melekounia on weddings or christenings. The relatives and the friends of the bride and the groom are gathered before the wedding and celebrate as they make these delicious, traditional sweets . “Μelekouni” is a healthy sweet which stands out thanks to its great taste and high nutritional value. We use aromatic thyme honey, natural sesame, almonds, orange and lemon peel and spices. “Melekouni” is soft and frees all its fragrance the moment you taste it. It is more delicious and healthier than the usual pasteli because of its ingredients and the way it is made. 

 

Melekounia

700 gr honey (Preferably Greek thyme honey)   

1kg sesame

½ tsp of cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

scrap of 1 orange (or bergamot)

100gr almonds whitened

First clean the sesame and toast it.  Then flail it lightly  in a blender.  Boil the honey until it loses its humidity and starts to become solid and stir it well with all the other ingredients. Clean and wet a surface ,spread the mixture of honey while it is still soft and warm.  Press one by one all the almonds on its surface so that they become one with it and then let them cool.  When it is cold we cut it in lozenge and bundle in cellophane. In order to preserve them for a long time place them in pots well closed.