Daktyla are traditionally covered with a honey syrup.
In the tiny island nation of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most popular cookies is called daktyla kyrion, or lady fingers. True to description, these crunchy pastries are about the size of middle fingers and are eaten en masse during the Sikoses holiday, which is a Greek celebration that takes place after Carnival but before Lent. The biscuit construction consists of a puff pastry dough, rolled in a crunchy center of crushed almonds, sugar and cinnamon, which is deep fried and then dipped in a sugary flower-infused syrup.
Crushed almonds are an essential ingredient in daktyla.
Although these cookies are popular throughout the year in Cyprus, they are widely offered during the weeks leading up to the Catholic holiday of Lent. For many, meats and treats are off-limits during these weeks, making these treats even more appreciated during the preparation period. Mardi Gras is the most famous pre-Lenten festival in Westernized societies.
Citrus zest is often used to make daktyla.
The puff pastry that wraps daktyla cookies can be easily purchased in most supermarkets. However, it is not difficult to do at home. Composed of flour with water, oil and a little salt, the dough rests for a few hours. It is then thinly rolled with a rolling pin or pasta maker and cut into squares the size of a lady’s finger. For a proper consistency, it is important to follow a recipe. A recipe from the Global Cookies website, for example, uses 1 cup (approximately 237 ml) of water and 0.33 cups (approximately 78 ml) of oil for 7.5 cups (approximately 1.7 kg) of flour, together with just a pinch of salt.
Meanwhile almonds and often pistachios are also crushed and mixed with cinnamon and a little sugar in a bowl. A small stack of the daktyla mixture is placed on a center line of each dough square. Each square is well wrapped around the nuts. These cylinders are sealed around the edges by pressing a fork into the seams and then deep fried in oil.
While the daktyla dries on paper towels, a simple syrup is made on the stove. In a saucepan, boil water, sugar, honey, a little flower water and even citrus zest. A ratio of about three parts water, two parts sugar, and one part honey is common for a thick syrup, with just a little flower water and zest added for flavor. After the liquid turns syrupy, the crisp cookies can be dipped into the pan and then left to dry and cool.