| Servings |
| 1 string |
|
|
|
|
Meet our adaptation of Churchkhela, the dangly natural candy from the Caucasus. Audrey, from Uncornered Market, informs me that this typically sausage shaped treat is nicknamed the “Georgian Snickers.” Nice! Unlike a Snickers bar, however, we use only three ingredients, none of which are sugar. Long strands of Churchkhela can be found all over the caucasus, generally with extra thick outer layers of dried grape syrup (they call this tatara).
|
- 2 lb grapes , seedless
- 25-30 pieces walnut meats (whole)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 fishing line (2 feet)
- sewing needle
- First, de-stem grapes and puree in the blender. Make sure the skins are as tiny as possible.
- Set a fine mesh seive over a tall pot and drain the pureed grapes overnight (refrigerated).
- Strain the grape puree mixture.
- Meanwhile, thread walnuts onto fishing line. Loop the strand back into a circle and tie shut with a good knot. Be sure to make a small loop for hanging the walnuts when drying.
- In the morning, press as much liquid as possible out of what remains int he seive. Discard remaining solids. Simmer strained liquid 20-30 minutes, or until reduced by 1/3. Make cornstarch slurry with about 2 tbsp of the reduce grape syrup. Add slurry to pot and stir to combine.
- Simmer until mixture is thick and coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Let cool until lukewarm (so as not to melt the fishing line). Coat the walnuts with the thick grape liquid. (Both sides!)
- At this point you should have an idea where you want to hang the strand to dry.
- After each dunking, hang strand to dry with fan blowing on it until the coating is no longer tacky. This could take anywhere from 12-24 hours. Refrigerate grape syrup until needed again. You can dip walnuts in cold syrup just fine. Use a spoon to help cover the walnuts, if needed.
- Dip about 4 times to get it as thick and gooey as the real candy.
You’ll need to plan for 1 day’s drying time for every time you dip the strand into the grape syrup (although drying times could be longer depending on humidity and temperature). Plus you’ll need one night to drain the grape syrup. Planning a week for this project is probably a safe bet.
Our version is simplified for the home cook. First, it has significantly fewer layers. Second, we loop our strand so it is easier to dip in a small amount of liquid. Finally, we didn’t age our Churchkhela as long as they do in Georgia. Our ingredients and technique vary somewhat, so this recipe is designed to be eaten within a few days.
We only dipped ours twice due to time restraints. Still, you’ll be able to see the buildup of grape on the exterior is fairly dramatic each time.