Gozinaki

The story

Gozinaki is a Georgian dessert with a clear sense of place. Gozinaki is a traditional Georgian walnut-and-honey sweet strongly associated with New Year celebrations. Its ingredient list is minimal, so the quality of the walnuts and honey is especially exposed. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 400 g Walnutsroughly chopped
• 250 g clear honey
• 30 g caster sugaroptional for a firmer set
• 1 pinch fine salt

Method

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan

   Toast the walnuts in a dry pan or 170°C oven for 7–8 minutes until fragrant, then tip them onto a tray so they do not continue darkening.

   Look for: fragrant, then tip them onto a tray so they do not continue darkening Tip: Cook honey until aromatic and slightly thickened but remove it before it smells burnt; carryover heat continues the caramelisation. Avoid: Burnt honey tastes bitter, untoasted nuts taste flat and cutting after full cooling leads to broken irregular pieces.

2. Warm the honey in a heavy saucepan

   Warm the honey in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Let it bubble gently for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly darker and more concentrated.

   Look for: slightly darker and more concentrated

3. If using sugar, add it now with

   If using sugar, add it now with the pinch of salt and stir until dissolved. Add the toasted walnuts and mix continuously for 3–4 minutes so every piece is heavily coated.

   Look for: dissolved

4. Scrape the hot mixture onto baking paper

   Scrape the hot mixture onto baking paper lightly dampened with water. Cover with a second sheet and roll or press to an even 8–10 mm thickness.

5. While still warm but no longer fluid,

   While still warm but no longer fluid, peel away the top paper and cut into diamonds with an oiled knife. Cutting after it cools completely is much harder and causes shattering.

6. Leave to cool fully, then separate the

   Leave to cool fully, then separate the pieces and store airtight with baking paper between layers.

   Look for: The mixture presses into a cohesive sheet, loses its wet stickiness as it cools and holds a clean diamond shape.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.