Churchkhela

Dessert and Cakes | Georgian

Churchkhela is a Georgian national delicacy. It is known in various versions also outside Georgia: “adzhindzhukhua” in Abkhazia, “sujuk” in Turkey, and under the Georgian name in Russia, in particular, in Crimea and Krasnodar Krai. Churchkhela is made from strung walnuts which are dipped in grape juice thickened with flour. The delicacy preparation history goes back to the most ancient times of David IV of Georgia (David the Builder). When Georgian warriors started on long campaigns, they took with them a calorically dense and hearty churchkhela, since it is long-stored and easy to use.

Ingredients

Wheat flour – 750 g
shelled nuts (walnut, hazelnut, almond) – 700 g
natural grape juice – 3 l
corn flour – 250 g

Preparation method (receipt)

Torrefy nuts in a dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes. Slightly cool. Shell hazelnuts and almonds and rub the kernels with palms. Chop walnuts into large pieces. String them onto several 45 cm long durable threads (2/3 of the thread length) with a thick needle. Make a big knot at the end. Tie the semi-products in pairs by the free ends and hang them on a wide crossbar. Prepare the grape juice (called “palouzes”). Pour the juice into a saucepan, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Pour 1 liter of juice into a bowl and allow to cool. Boil the remaining juice for another 10 minutes. Pour corn and wheat flour into the bowl of chilled juice and stir thoroughly until the lumps are completely dissolved. Gradually pour the resulting mush into the boiling juice, stirring. Cook for about 25 minutes to the consistency of thick porridge. Place a tray under the crossbar with semi-products. Dip each thread with nuts in the grape jelly (palouzes) and hang on the crossbar. When all the threads with nuts are coated with palouzes, leave them to dry and then repeat the procedure. Place the crossbar with the "raw" churchkhela in a well-ventilated room for a fortnight. The ready churchkhela is stored in a dark place wrapped in parchment.

wheat flour nuts walnuts hazelnut almond natural grape juice corn flour