Steps
- Boil 300ml of water, 600g of sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 whole cloves, and 1 halved orange for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 200g of honey, and cool completely.
- Mix 150g of fine semolina, 500g of all-purpose flour, and ½ tablespoon of baking powder.
- Whisk 100g of orange juice, 3 tablespoons of cognac, 100g of sugar, 1 level tablespoon of ground cinnamon, ⅓ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ⅓ teaspoon of ground cloves.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ tablespoon of baking soda; whisk until foamy. Mix in 90ml of water, 125g of olive oil, 125g of sunflower oil, 50g of honey, and the zest of 2 oranges.
- Gently combine with the dry mixture just until soft and slightly sticky. Shape into 30g ovals on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten lightly with a fork and prick halfway through.
- Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Immediately dip the hot cookies in cold syrup for 10-20 seconds, turning them. Drain and scatter with chopped walnuts; repeat in batches.