Little drops of chocolate heaven!

by David Leggett

This is one of my favourite recipes that we used with the kids in class when I was teaching in primary school. The kids loved the baking process and they were rewarded in the end with the yummy truffles they made by themselves! This Christmas we tried recipe with the kids at the Greek Hall. We had so much fun making the truffles (althouth the butter didn't want to cooperate at the beginning!) and everyone agreed that they were delicious! As we went through the recipe, we discovered that most of the names of the ingredients have easy names that remind us of the english words. You can find the word mat here.

Here is the recipe, adapted from the Greek Year 3 textbook Απίθανα μολύβια (Itzidis, Papadopoulos, Sioutis & Tiktopoulou):

You will need (for 30 pieces):

• 500 grams of butter
• Half a cup cocoa powder
• Half a cup icing sugar
• 250 grams milk biscuits
• Toppings of your preference (e.g. chocolate sprinkles, almonds, coconut)

What to do:

1. Mix well the butter with cocoa and sugar, until it becomes like cream.
2. Shred the biscuits and add them in the mixture. Mix again.
3. Use a teaspoon to get some of the mixture and make into a small ball.
4. Roll each ball in a bowl with your preferred topping to coat the truffles.
5. Keep the truffles in the fridge at least for 10 minutes before you eat them.

Enjoy and have a great Christmas!


...και η συνταγη στα ελληνικα:

Τρουφακια σοκολατας

Θα χρειαστειτε (για 30 τρουφακια):

• 500 γραμμαρια βουτυρο
• Μιση κουπα κακαο σε σκονη
• Μιση κουπα ζαχαρη αχνη
• 250 γραμμαρια μπισκοτα
• Επικαλυψη της επιλογης σας (πχ τρουφα, αμυγδαλα, καρυδα)

Εκτελεση:

• Ανακατεψτε καλα το βουτυρο με το κακαο και ζαχαρη μεχρι να γινει σαν κρεμα.
• Προσθεστε τα μπισκοτα, αφου πρωτα τα θρυμματισετε.
• Με ενα κουταλι παρτε λιγο απο το μιγμα και φτιαξτε μικρες μπαλιτσες.
• Κυληστε τις μπαλιτσες σε ενα μπολ με την επικαλυψη της αρεσκειας σας.
• Διατηρηστε τα τρουφακια στο ψυγειο για τουλαχιστον 10 λεπτα πριν τα δοκιμασετε.

Απολαυστε και καλα σας Χριστουγεννα!

How to make koulouri

by Alpha

One of the best treats that you can find at the streets of Greece is the koulouri with sesame seeds. Sweet and delicious, it is like a bagel that you can have on its own, with cheese, olives or even nutella! Here is the recipe I’ve been using, translated in English (adapted from http://www.mageirikesdiadromes.gr/recipes/koyloyria-thessalonikhs1.html, by Ε.Φ.)

You will need

• 1 kg plain flour
• 80 gr sugar
• 30 gr dry yeast
• 20 gr salt
• 100 gr olive oil
• 500 gr warm water (not to hot because you will kill the yeast!)
• 200 gr sesame (I usually use more because I like it)

What to do

1. Use a big bowl and stir the flour with the salt, sugar, olive oil. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and add in the bowl. Mix everything together and make the dough. Keep mixing, until it no longer sticks on your hands (add flour if it is too sticky). Cover the bowl with a towel and leave it for 30 mins.
2. Divide the dough into 24 pieces. Roll out each piece into a rope of about 30 cm. Form a ring with each piece by joining the ends.
3. Get two small bowls, one with some water and one with the sesame. Dip each ring into the bowl with water and then in sesame, so that the sesame sticks on the ring.
4. Use a large oven tray and line some baking paper. Place the koulouria on the baking paper and leave some distance between them.
5. Pre heat the oven at 200 degrees and the lower the temperature to 180 degrees. Bake the koulouria for about 35 minutes, or until they become golden brown and crusty.

Enjoy!

A happy song!

This used to be one of my favourite songs as a child, especially the last bit when I got to laugh out loud!
Click here to download and print the Happy song word mat.

Virtual ancient Greece

What was life like in ancient Greece?
Why was Athens such a special place?
What are some of the heroes of ancient Greece?
What were greek plays like?

This website will take you on a virtual tour to discover anything you want to know about ancient Greece! Click on the link below and "Καλό ταξίδι!" (kalo taksidi: have a great trip).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/

Screenshot from www.bbc.co.uk website

Winter is here!

Get ready for some cold weather and - why not - maybe snow too...

Click on the image to get the winter poster. 

Click here to download and print the winter word mat.

Pleiades & Matariki

In the end of June, there is a big celebration in New Zealand. It is Matariki and it signals the beginning of a Maori new year. Matariki is a group of stars. According to Maori myths Matariki is a mother and she has six daughters. In winter, when Matariki rises just before sunrise, if there is a new moon in the sky, the mother and her daughters are singing to lead the sun into a new year. Listen to the Matariki song below.

In ancient Greece this group of stars was named Pleiades (Πλειάδες). The story says that the Pleiades were daughters of Atlas, a man who was forced to carry the world on his shoulders. Orion the hunter saw Pleiades and started chasing them. Zeus, the king of the Gods saved them by turning them into doves (πλειάς = περιστέρι). They flew away into the sky and they were then turned into stars to escape from Orion. 

photo by Jimkster

Click on the image below to download and print the activity. You can make your own Pleiades/Matariki poster! 

Note: Macrons are missing, due to formatting issues.

Planets of the Solar System

Download and print the poster showing you the greek names of the planets of the Solar System. Which one is your favourite planet?

Ερμής (Ermí̱s): Mercury
Αφροδίτη (Afrodíti̱): Venus
Γη (Gi): Earth
Άρης (Ári̱s): Mars
Δίας (Días): Jupiter
Κρόνος (Krónos): Saturn
Oυρανός (Ouranós): Uranus
Ποσειδώνας (Poseidόnas): Neptune

Listen to the solar system song in english, with greek subtitles.