Recipe Information
Honey bubbles on the stove while walnuts toast in a dry pan, and somewhere in Tbilisi a family waits for midnight. Gozinaki, a glossy walnut brittle cut into neat diamonds, anchors Georgia’s New Year table. The holiday season stretches long here: after December 31 come two steady weeks of visits, toasts, and second helpings, ending with Old New Year on January 14, when the Georgian Orthodox Church, following the Julian calendar, marks the close of the festivities. By then, plates of gozinaki have made the rounds of living rooms across the country.
Cooking instructor Irma Laghdaze of Tbilisi teaches that the sweet carries more than crunch. Families serve it first at midnight, believing the year will unfold as sweetly as that first bite. Made from little more than walnuts and honey, gozinaki depends on precision: properly caramelized honey, just enough to bind the nuts, and exceptional walnuts, whole and light in color. The ingredient list stays short. The technique does the talking.
Ingredients
270g Honey
360g Walnuts
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
Preparation
Step One
Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant. Remove from the pan and roughly chop each walnut half into 3–4 pieces. Return the empty pan to the stove and warm it again over low heat.
Step Two
Add the honey to the warm pan and heat gently. After about 5 minutes, when the honey begins to foam and simmer, stir in ¼ teaspoon sugar. Continue heating over low.
Step Three
Stir constantly to prevent burning. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the honey deepens in color and foams evenly.
To test, drop a small spoonful into cold water. If the drops hold their shape and sink, it’s ready. If they spread, cook a little longer.
Step Four
Add the chopped walnuts to the caramelized honey, keeping the heat low. Stir until all the walnuts are evenly coated. There should be just enough honey to bind them, not excess liquid.
Step Five
Transfer the hot mixture onto a wooden board. Let it cool slightly. Dampen your hands and a rolling pin with water, then roll into a rectangle about ½ cm thick, or to your preferred thickness.
Step Six
While still slightly warm, cut straight lines about 5 cm apart lengthwise. Turn the board and cut diagonal lines to form diamond shapes. Separate the pieces slightly and let cool completely. Once fully set, remove from the board. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to two weeks, separating layers with parchment paper.
