I have never actually made this myself- but I've had this plenty of times and it is good. This is from my parish cookbook:
Start preparation of kollyva two days in advance and assemble the day of the memorial.
4 c shelled wheat (2 lb.)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 c. slivered almonds
1 c. pine nuts
2 c. white raisins
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. cumin
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. finely ground Zwieback toast
Seeds of one pomegranate (optional)
1 c. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
small plastic bags and spoons (for distribution)
large silver dragees
white paper doilies
Cover the wheat with two quarts of water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Cover with 4 quarts of water in a large heavy pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, several hours, keeping the wheat covered with water and stirring occasionally, until wheat becomes puffy and tender. Cooking time varies with time of soaking. Drain in a colander, rinse, and drain again. Spread the wheat out on a smooth dish towel to dry overnight. If desired, burn a kandili beside the wheat as it dries.
Prepare all other ingredients, but do not assemble until the day of the memorial to prevent mush like texture.
On the day of the memorial, light a censor and kandili while making the kollyva. Cover a large tray, approximately 20X13 inches, with wax paper and then paper doilies that extend over the edge about an inch and a half. Combine all ingredients, except powdered sugar, Zwieback crumbs, and decorations. Put the combined mixture on a tray and mold into a heaping mound toward the center, pressing it smooth. Spread crumbs evenly over the top, making sure the wheat is thoroughly covered and press down. This layer keeps the wheat mixture from bleeding through to the top layer of powdered sugar. Sift powdered sugar over the mound and press with wax paper.
Make a cross in the center with large silver dragees. With blanched almonds, form the initial of the first name of the deceased of the left side of the cross and the initial on the right, preferably using Greek letters. Decorate the edges as desired.
Take the kollyva to church where it will be placed on a small table by the icon of Christ at the ikonostasion. If the table does not have candles, put one or three in the kollyva to be lit during the memorial service. After the service, put about 1/4 cup of kollyva in small plastic bags for distribution by parishioners (most people use dixie cups though). Eat with spoon or with fingers. In Greece, relatives take kollyva to the grave site and distribute to passers-by.
The ingredients have symbolic meaning: Wheat for everlasting life, raisins for sweetness, pomegranate seeds for plenty, powdered sugar for the sweetness of heaven, and parsley for the green of the Earth.
