Gozinaki/Nut Candy from Georgia
We are visiting Georgia today. Georgian cuisine and wine have evolved through the centuries, adapting traditions in each era. Various historical regions of Georgia are known for their particular dishes: for example, Khinkali (meat dumplings), from eastern mountainous Georgia, and Khachapuri, mainly from Imereti, Samegrelo and Adjara. In addition to traditional Georgian dishes, the foods of other countries have been brought to Georgia by immigrants from Russia, Greece, and recently China.
I was planning to make Kachapuri, a cheese filled flatbread, but then without the regional cheese what is the kick in making that dish. So, i settled with Gozinaki.
Gozinaki is a traditional Georgian confection made of caramelized nuts fried in honey and usually eaten on New Year's Eve and Christmas.In several of Georgia's rural areas, both walnuts and honey used to have sacral associations. According to a long established tradition, Gozinaqi is a mandatory component of New Year's Eve/Christmas celebration.
Ingredients (Makes 12 squares)
1 Cup Walnuts
½ cup Almonds
½ cup azelnuts
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon powdered sugar.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C, in a baking pa, add a drop of oil and add almonds and walnuts. Roast it for 10 minutes. After almonds & walnuts, add hazelnuts and roast again for 8 minutes. Let it cool, rub a kitchen towel on the hazelnuts and remove the skin.
- Chop the nuts into silvers. This was the painful job, chopping roasted nuts, that too with 2 kids, had a hard time keeping them from munching it off!!
- Keep a plate ready with alumininum foil or parchment paper lined.Heat a Pan, add honey to it, it will start bubbling, keep stirring. Within few minutes, the honey will reach hard ball consistency. At this point, the honey will foam well. You can check this by, putting a drop of honey on a plate, it will be so thick, and it will stay without running down.
- At this stage, add sugar, whisk well and add the chopped nut silvers. Keep stirring well for a 10-20 seconds. Take it off the stove, transfer it to the alufoil/parchment lined plate. Press it well to fit the plate and smooth-en the top with wetted hands or parchment paper. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes. I left it wrapped in the alu-foil.
- Remove the Alu-foil wrap, Keep it on the kitchen counter and using a sharp knife, cut the candy into squares.
- Store it in an air-tight container if you have anything left. This candy makes a good gift on festive season, with nuts galore.
Packing some to Kids Delight - Healthy Dessert happening @ +Sapana Behl's space, an event by +srivalli jetti
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44
Looks like our humble nuts chikkis na, if i make it i wont stop munching them.
Looks so tempting ,nice choice from the country..
I like the combination of nuts used and making it in honey makes it healthy too. Nice n Crunchy candy.
Such an addictive looking brittle Priya..I like how you have used that basket in the last pic..:)
This is so much like the peanut brittle! It turned out perfect. Hard to stop at one piece
This is just like out chikki but made with honey. Nice choice Priya.
That brittles are damn addictive. Just last night I noted down a similar recipe for another country and it involved baking at the last stages, I guess.
Love that bamboo box. Haven't seen one in years. 🙂
Wonderful form of nuts chikki! Love the woven basket in the lat picture.
Those look so much like our peanut chikki. So addictive and delicious.
They resemble same like our chikki burfi priya 🙂 You have made them so perfect, I wud love to grab them from my screen now 🙂 very addictive indeed ..
this so much looks like our chikkis... looks so perfect...
Superb Priya! I am sure it was so good and you have made it perfectly. And I recognize that bamboo basket 🙂
That s so tempting you got it so perfectly never tried with honey have to try next time.
looks so beautifully sweet and crunchy
Priya this is so very delicious.You would have had a difficult time if I was around too.:D