Churchkhela
Walnuts on a string dipped in thickened grape juice (tatara)
Churchkhela are the candle-shaped sweets you see hanging in bunches at every Georgian market, but they are made at home during rtveli, the grape harvest in Kakheti in September and October. Walnuts are threaded on a string and dipped again and again in tatara, fresh grape must thickened with flour, then hung up to dry for a week, until firm and chewy outside and tender within. They are eaten at New Year and kept for months. A common mistake is a tatara that is too thin, which slides off the nuts; it should coat the back of a spoon thickly and fall in ribbons. Chef's tip: let each coat set for 10–15 minutes before the next dip; three or four thin coats look and keep better than one thick one.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the threads
For the tatara
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Cut 6 pieces of strong cotton string about 40 cm long. Thread a needle and push it through the centre of each 7 oz walnut halves half, building strings about 25 cm long. Tie a loop at the top of each for hanging and a knot at the bottom.
Step 2: Pour 1.2 litres of 6 ¼ cups unsweetened red or white grape juice into a wide pan and bring to the boil, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes, skimming off any foam, until reduced by a quarter.
20 minStep 3: Whisk 5 ½ oz plain flour into the remaining cold juice until there are no lumps. Taste the hot juice and stir in 1 ¾ oz sugar if it is not sweet.
Step 4: Lower the heat and pour the flour mix into the pan in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Keep stirring for 15–20 minutes over a low heat, until the tatara is thick, glossy and coats a wooden spoon in a heavy layer that falls back in slow ribbons.
20 minStep 5: Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Dip each string of nuts in fully, lift out slowly and let the excess drip back.
5 minStep 6: Hang the strings from a pole or rack over a tray and leave for 10–15 minutes, until the coat is tacky and no longer drips. Dip again. Repeat 3–4 times, warming the tatara gently if it thickens too much, until the coating is about 5 mm thick.
40 minStep 7: Hang in a cool, airy place for 5–7 days, until the surface is no longer sticky and the churchkhela feel firm but slightly soft when squeezed. Wrap in paper and store in a cool place for up to 3 months. Slice into rounds to serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does churchkhela take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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