We need to prepare the syrup the day before because it needs to be cold. In a pot we add the water, the sugar, the orange cut in thin slices, the corn starch syrup, the cinnamon stick and cloves.

We bring to the boil without stirring and keep boiling over medium heat for 5 min. We remove the pot from the fire and add the honey. We stir until the honey dissolves and we let it cool down completely.

Add the oil, orange juice and zest, honey, sugar, ground cinnamon and ground clove in a large mixing bowl and stir rapidly until sugar dissolves, it might take 4 min.

Add the bicarbonate ammonia, or baking powder to the liquids and stir in rapidly, until the liquids change colour (step photo 3).

Pour the liquids to the flour, semolina mixture in the space that you have created and start incorporating the dry ingredients gently, using your fingertips.

DO NOT overwork your dough and DO NOT add any more flour. Once the dry ingredients absorb the liquid STOP everything.

Take a small portion of dough (the size of walnut will do just fine - because they rise will baking) and shape them like little sausages will rolling as little as possible (you can do that with ;only 3 movements). Place on a baking tray (you can line some baking paper, but they do not stick promise, but just to be sure). With a fork make small holes on the surface pressing lightly. Bake to a preheat oven over 180oC for 20-30 min. depending on your oven. After 20 min check if the are ready.

When ready, as they are hot from the oven put them in the syrup making sure that they are dipped in completely count to ten and take them out. Place them on a strainer so the excess syrup can drip. (Make sure before reusing the baking try to add some more dough that it is completely cool, if you only have one cool it down under the tap and dry thoroughly).

Place them on a nice platter, sprinkle with the ground walnuts and enjoy. Merry Christmas from Greece.