Monday's Greek Recipe - Glyko Karidaki - Picked Walnuts in Syrup

It's that blessed time of year again when homemade jams  and our favourite "glyka tou koutaliou" or spoon sweets are made in Cyprus - the most popular being "glyko karidaki" 

Photo Credit

Ingredients

1¼ kilo fresh green walnuts
1¼ kilo sugar
3 glasses of water
3 sachets of vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
Few blanched almonds (optional)

Photo Courtesy of my friend Sophia

Use the tenderest ones you can find, the older they are the harder they tend to be. They are best picked when they just come out.

Directions

1. Wash the walnuts and put into a large saucepan with plenty of water.
(We normally peel them after washing but this recipe does not do that.  It is best to peel the thin outer skin but it’s up to you.  If you don’t the walnuts may be tough.)

2. Boil till soft.

3. Remove from the saucepan and put into a large bowl of cold water..
Leave in the water for 48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours.

4. Put the 3 glasses of water and the sugar together in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8 minutes.

5. Strain the walnuts and insert a half almond.

6. Put the walnuts into the syrup and boil for 5-7 minutes.

7. Take the saucepan off the heat and put to one side for 24 hours.  The walnuts need to stay in the saucepan to cool for 24 hours.  At no time should you put the lid on the saucepan.

8.Put the saucepan back on to boil and boil rapidly, when it is ready (the syrup thickens) add the lemon juice and vanilla, boil for a while and remove from the heat.

9. Allow to cool in the saucepan then bottle in the normal way.

Tips

1.Use about 2-3 kilos of fresh green walnuts for this and about 2-3 kilos of sugar.

2. Use tender fresh green walnuts; the older they are the harder they tend to be. They are best picked when they are fresh.

3. To prepare the walnuts: Thinly peel outer skin but you should wear gloves for this if you don’t want your hands to go black!

Source : Glyko Karidaki 

Comments

[Agnes]

Oh you're making me hungry Anastasia!!! :-D

[Phivos Nicolaides]

They all look so inviting!

[Stefania]

I love them all and I usually make apricot and quince but karidaki is my favourite. I have never tried to make it though. This recipe sounds quite simple compared to others.

[Sophia]

My grandmother was from Pera Pedi and she taught me how to make karidaki in the traditional way. This recipe is easy to make and I know you can have a good karidaki. But it won't be very firm and crispy. Well, after peeling the green walnuts - always wearing gloves - I soak them for 36 hours in lime (asvestis) - I mean that white substance you get from burning limestone. Then I boil them, throw away the water, and wash them. I repeat this 4 times. That's how you get a really firm and crispy karidaki.

[Laura]

Walnuts in syrup? Ah well, they look pretty exotic to me just like all the other desserts on the photo. I love marmalade.
Marmalade making is very similar to jam making but the rind needs much longer cooking so more water is required. The fruit is simmered until the rind is soft and the volume of liquid has reduced by about half. Jelly marmalades are made in the same way but are strained through a jelly bag after the fruit has been cooked and strips of rind are then added. Citrus fruit are my favourite - bitter and sweet orange, tangerine, grapefruit. On a cold winter day, I can't imagine breakfast without toast, some butter and homemade marmalade!

[Kofla Olivieri]

The food looks delicious! lol