Traditional Greek Kariokes are delightful walnut-filled chocolate crescents that bring pure joy to your dessert table.
These golden-brown treats, ready in just 30 minutes, combine rich chocolate and crunchy walnuts in a perfectly flaky pastry shell.
Perfect for special occasions or holiday gatherings, this recipe yields 50 irresistible pieces that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
The best part? You don’t need to be a pastry expert to master these Mediterranean delicacies.
Ingredients for Kariokes
For the Delicious Filling
- Sugar: 250g, essential for the sweet base
- Water: 250g, for creating the syrup
- Dark Chocolate: 125g, finely chopped for smooth melting
- Butter: 85g, adds richness and shine
- Walnuts: 300g, freshly chopped for best texture
- Orange Zest: From 1 orange, adds wonderful aroma
- Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons, balances sweetness
- Petit Beurre Biscuits: 450g, finely powdered
For the Coating
- Dark Chocolate: 1kg, good quality for best results
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the Syrup: Combine water and sugar in a pot, bring to boil until sugar dissolves completely
- Create the Base: Remove from heat, add butter, chocolate, orange zest, and lemon juice. Stir until smooth and well combined
- Mix the Filling: Transfer to a bowl, fold in powdered biscuits and walnuts until thoroughly mixed
- Form the Rolls: Divide mixture into three parts, shape each into 17cm long rolls (3-4cm thick) using plastic wrap
- Chill: Refrigerate rolls overnight for perfect consistency
- Prepare Coating: Melt chocolate using a bain-marie or double boiler method until smooth
- Slice and Dip: Cut rolls into 1cm thick slices, dip each in melted chocolate
- Set: Place on parchment-lined tray, let set at room temperature until chocolate hardens
Working with Chocolate
Don’t worry if you’re new to melting chocolate! While a bain-marie sounds fancy, it’s just a gentle way to melt chocolate without burning it.
The key is patience – keep the heat low and stir now and then. If you accidentally get water in your melted chocolate and it becomes grainy, add a tiny splash of vegetable oil and stir well to smooth it out again.
Storage Tips
These sweet treats keep beautifully at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. If your kitchen is very warm, you can store them in the fridge, but let them come to room temperature before eating – they taste much better this way!
Just keep them away from direct sunlight or heat sources to prevent the chocolate coating from melting.
Make-Ahead Tips
The best part about kariokes is that you can make them in stages! The filling needs to chill overnight anyway, so take your time.
You can even make the rolls up to 3 days before coating them in chocolate. Once you’re ready to coat them, make sure they’re very cold – this helps the chocolate coating set quickly and evenly.
Serving Suggestions
These little chocolate-covered treats shine on their own, but they’re extra special when served as part of a dessert platter.
Try pairing them with a hot cup of Greek coffee or a small glass of orange liqueur. They’re perfect for parties, holiday gatherings, or any time you want to share something sweet with friends!
Kariokes (Walnut-filled Chocolate Crescents)
Equipment
- bain-marie or double boiler
- pot
- Baking tray
Ingredients
For the filling
- 250 g sugar (9 ounces)
- 250 g water (9 ounces)
- 125 g dark chocolate cut in small pieces (4.5 ounces)
- 85 g butter (3 ounces)
- 300 g walnuts chopped (10.5 ounces)
- 1 orange zest
- 2 tbsps lemon juice (juice of 1/2 lemon)
- 450 g Pettit beurre biscuits powdered (16 ounces)
For coating
- 1 kg dark chocolate (35 ounces)
Instructions
- To prepare the filling for the kariokes, pour in a pot the water and sugar and bring to the boil. Let it boil for a few minutes, until the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the pot from the stove and add the butter, the chocolate (cut in small pieces), the orange zest and the lemon juice; blend until the chocolate has melted and the ingredients combine.
- Pour the mixture in a bowl and mix in the powdered biscuits and chopped walnuts. Blend, until the ingredients combine.
- On a working surface, line some plastic wrap and pour in 1/3 of the mixture. Form the mix into a roll, wrap it up and put it in the fridge overnight. Repeat the same with rest of the mixture, forming 3 rolls, about 17cm long and 3-4 cm thick. Leave in the fridge overnight.
- A little bit before you take the rolls out of the fridge, start making the coating. To melt the chocolate it is best to use a bain-marie (or double boiler), a piece of equipment used to heat the chocolate gently and gradually to fixed temperatures so that it doesn’t burn.
- Take the rolls out of the fridge, unwrap the plastic wrap and slice them in equal slices, about 1cm thick. Dip each piece in the chocolate, using a fork and then place on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper; repeat with all the pieces.
- When done, let the kariokes to cool down, at room temperature (not in the fridge), until the chocolate thickens. Enjoy!