Gozinaki

Ingredients

• 15¾ ozwalnutscoarsely chopped into 3–4 pieces
• 10½ ozhoneypreferably aromatic wildflower or mountain honey
• 1 tbspsugarhelps keep the honey from crystallizing
• 1 tspvegetable oilfor greasing the surface and knife (optional)

Method

1. Chop the shelled walnuts coarsely into long pieces, three or four pieces per kernel — chopping them too fine makes the finished candy chewy rather than crisp.
2. Toast the nuts dry, either in a skillet or spread on a tray in the oven at about 345 °F for 5–7 minutes, keeping an eye on them. Let them cool, then rub off any loose skins.
3. Melt the honey in a wide, heavy pan over low to medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
4. Skim off the foam as it rises, then stir in the sugar until it dissolves completely — it keeps the honey from crystallizing later on.
5. Keep cooking the honey until it darkens. To test it, drop a little into cold water: it should stay firm and roll into a ball.
6. Add the toasted walnuts all at once and keep stirring over the heat for a short while, until every piece is coated and the mixture is thick.
7. Tip the hot mixture straight onto a dampened work surface or onto oiled parchment or an oiled baking tray, and roll it out evenly with a wet or oiled rolling pin.
8. While it is still warm, cut it into diamonds with an oiled knife, then let it cool completely, separate the pieces and store them airtight.

Tips and variations

How far you toast the nuts is up to you: some people warm them only lightly, without letting them take on any colour, while others go all the way to a deep brown — that choice shapes the flavour more than anything else. You can also add the sugar a few minutes into the cooking rather than right at the start. Roll the mixture out on a wet wooden or glass surface, on a silicone mat, or on the oiled tray, and make the layer as thin as 0.5–1 cm or as thick as about 2.5 cm. Serve the diamonds at New Year, or as a sweet finish to a supra.