Twelve pans of baklava. Ten pans of spinach pie. Three pans of cheese pie. Five hundred shortbread cookies. Four hundred and twenty almond rolls. Three hundred butter cookies.

That’s some of baking the St. George Greek Orthodox Church’s ladies society did the week leading up to its Christmas bazaar on November 19 and 20. That doesn’t include the gyro, chicken souvlaki, Greek salad, and other lunch and bakery items also on the menu though, said group President Connie Lee Bebis.

“It works because people bring it to their Thanksgiving Day table,” said Bebis.

The 16-person team worked double shifts Monday through Friday to prep for the bazaar. The goal was to feed 150 people at lunch, and although the women made more than 60 boxes of Baklava to sell for $15 each, they regularly sell out early at their events.

“Our [bake sale] is not brownies,” laughed Bebis. “Everything we do for baking requires butter. Lots and lots and lots of butter.”

Last year’s bazaar raised $5,000, said Bebis. She said it all goes back to the community, and listed the Salvation Army, Potter Elementary’s giving tree, Louisiana flood victims, veterans, and needy families as charity recipients.

Alongside making almond rolls — a mix of almond paste, butter, and filo dough — on November 16, the team also worked to make butter cookies — which include brandy, vanilla, eggs, and sugar.

“They sell out quick. Baklava and butter cookies are the first thing to go,” said Bebis.

All the recipes come from the church’s cookbook, which is really a collection of parishioners’ recipes, said Bebis. Thealmond rolls recipe came from a 95-year-old parishioner, she explained, adding that you can buy a copy of the recipe book for $20.

Make your own: Almond Rolls

Recipe by Mary M. Yankopolus

Ingredients

1 lb. ground almonds

14 oz. sugar

1 lb. almond paste

3 eggs

1 lb. filo

1 lb. melted butter

1 ½ cups water

3 cups sugar

confectioners sugar

1 tbs. lemon juice

Directions

Mix almonds, 14 ounces of sugar, almond paste, and eggs. Cut filo into thirds, butter each strip, and fold into thirds. Place a spoonful of the almond filling at one end, turn in sides of filo, and roll. Place on baking sheet and continue until all filling is used up. Additional filo and butter may be needed.

Bake at 350-degrees until golden. When cool, dip in hot syrup and allow to drain. Roll in confectioners sugar and serve.

Syrup: bring water to a boil, add 3 cups of sugar, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice.