My daughter recently said that she had never eaten anything tastier than Snickers. ((Well, how do we understand this? ((We have cheap grapes now, our own nuts... I decided to make her a Snickers, but only Georgian - a natural, tasty and nutritious delicacy. Threat. Georgian girls (and boys), correct me if it's not entirely authentic, but I tried...

Ingredients for Churchkhela:

Churchkhela recipe:

I took the Isabella variety for the juice; it is very aromatic, sweet, and the juice it produces is very dark in color. The easiest way to get juice from grapes is, of course, through a juicer. But I don’t have such a miracle of technology, so I just pureed the berries in a blender and strained, grinding, through a sieve. If you really have a hard time with grapes (it’s the season here, I paid 100 rubles for three kilograms), take ready-made, packaged juice, but the taste, of course, will be completely different. From three kg of grape juice I got almost 2 liters.

Prepare the nuts. I have a mix of walnuts and hazelnuts. Break them into halves or quarters, but no smaller, otherwise you won't be able to thread them. Leave the hazelnuts whole. Using a fairly dense, strong thread and needle, make these nut beads.

Pour out about a glass of juice, put the rest on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook for about five minutes. Add flour to the juice in a glass and pour into the boiling juice, stirring vigorously. I didn’t add sugar - the grapes were very sweet, but try it, you may have to sweeten it. About the flour. I've come across different flour-juice ratios. For myself, I settled on this option - I didn’t add all the flour, cooked, stirred and looked at the density of the resulting mass. It should be quite thick and viscous. I dipped the edge of the thread with nuts and looked to see if the mass was held on the nuts and if it didn’t flow down too quickly. The amount of flour may need to be increased or, conversely, reduced. This viscous and aromatic mass must be cooked for another 5 minutes.

Well, now - the best part. Dip the threads with strung nuts into the syrup, melting them with a spoon. We lift it above the pan, wait a little for the excess mass to drain, and hang it in a pre-prepared place (I hung it on the slightly open oven door on hooks made of paper clips. You can use a regular clothes hanger for this purpose). Be sure to place a baking sheet or baking paper under the churchkhela!

This procedure will have to be repeated several times, increasing the grape layer. When you dip the last thread, the first one will already drain slightly and harden, you can wait a couple of minutes and start the process again: dip it, lift it, glass a little, hang it up. I did it three times. If there is any grape juice left, add substandard small pieces of nuts and place in candy molds.

Those who visit the south of our country for the first time in their lives look especially with great bewilderment at the small multi-colored sausages sold in bazaars and beaches. They are especially surprised by their unusual name - churchkhela. What it is and how it is prepared, we will now try to find out.

This is a national delicacy of oriental cuisine. Despite the fact that it is widespread in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, as well as Greece, Georgians consider churchkhela to be their original “invention”, and even filed a patent for it. Now, along with khachapuri, chacha and suluguni, churchkhela is also a Georgian brand.

Nut bottom, covered with dried boiled fruit juice. As legends say, this delicacy appeared in ancient times, when warriors, going on campaigns, took with them tasty and nutritious sausages that did not require any hassle in preparation and perfectly restored strength. Since we had to fight often, we prepared churchkhela for future use, without fear that it would spoil. It will definitely last a year, and from the next harvest you can make new delicious sausages with nuts called churchkhela. What it is - you already have an idea. Now let's talk about how it is prepared.

How to cook churchkhela at home

To prepare this product you will need to stock up on nuts, grape juice, sugar, flour and raw cotton thread with a needle. You can take any nuts, although traditionally walnuts are used and the whole is strung on a thread, and the walnut kernels are divided into two halves. The optimal length of nut loaf is about 30 cm. This is just enough for a thick decoction of juice, called tatara, to cover it with a dense layer. It is best to select the length of the thread depending on the depth of the pan in which the syrup will be boiled. The dependence here is like this - the bottom must be completely immersed in the tatara without bends or kinks.

After all the nuts are tightly strung, you can start preparing the tatara. Three liters of freshly squeezed grape juice is poured into a saucepan (it is advisable not to use an enamel one), a glass of sugar is added to it, and the whole thing is put on low heat. You need to cook the juice with constant stirring until its volume is reduced by half. Do not forget that the foam formed during the cooking process must be skimmed off. What happened in the end is what Georgians call badagi.

Pour about a couple of glasses of badaga into a wide bowl and cool the contents. We dilute two glasses of flour in the cooled syrup, carefully breaking up any lumps that form. To ensure the homogeneity of the mass, it can be rubbed through a sieve at the end. We combine both parts of the juice and put them on the fire again. Don't leave the stove. You must stir the mixture constantly, otherwise it will burn. Once the contents of the pan have thickened and become shiny, you can turn off the heat and consider the process of cooking tatara complete.

After letting it cool slightly, take the nut loaf and dip it entirely into the hot mass. After waiting about 20 seconds, take out the thread, let the last drops drain, and send it to dry. After two hours, we repeat the entire sequence of actions. Ideally, the layer of tatara should reach one and a half centimeters.

Since it will take a long time to make churchkhela in this way, you can slightly reduce the total time for preparing the delicacy by tying several threads with nuts to a rack at once and dipping them into the tatara at the same time. Once you consider that the thickness of the layer satisfies you, send the semi-finished churchkhela product to dry in the sun for a couple of weeks. Readiness can be judged by touch - if it does not stick to your hands, then drying can be considered complete. Now you need to wrap the sausages in linen and leave to ripen. In a month you can treat your admiring loved ones to a delicacy called “churchkhela”.

What it is, you now know and, like a true cook, you can start experimenting, changing the types of nuts and fruit juices. You can also do without thread by simply mixing ready-made tatara with nuts. It will, of course, not be churchkhela in the classical sense, but no less tasty treat.

Churchkhela is a natural oriental sweet made from grape juice and nuts. Churchkhela is a traditional dish in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, but you can try it not only in the Caucasus: churchkhela is sold everywhere in the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory, as well as in many other cities of Russia. From this article you can find out what kind of churchkhela there is and how to prepare it.

What is churchkhela?

Churchkhela is a long, thin sausage made from thick, congealed juice. Inside the churchkhela are nuts strung on a thin thread. Walnuts are usually used, although other options are possible. Traditionally, churchkhela is made from grape juice - in this case it turns out dark brown. However, now, for a more attractive appearance, churchkhela is also being made from the juices of other fruits.

Churchkhela is an excellent dessert for those who are watching their figure, because it is completely natural: the juice and nuts are a completely dietary treat. In addition, nuts provide a lot of energy, so churchkhela is perfect for a quick snack during the day.

What kind of churchkhela is there?

Nowadays churchkhela is prepared not only from grape juice. There are other varieties of it. The colors obtained from the juice of other fruits are brighter and more attractive, and the taste is also different. The following varieties of churchkhela are popular now:

• Pomegranate churchkhela has a bright red color.
• Churchkhela with apple juice has a light amber color, sometimes with a green tint.
• Apricot churchkhela has a rich orange color.
• Classic grape churchkhela light chocolate color.

Nowadays, more and more non-standard versions of churchkhela often appear. It uses a variety of nuts: cashews, almonds, peanuts or Brazil nuts, and also adds candied fruits and dried fruits. Sometimes you can even find churchkhela of bright unnatural colors with the addition of dyes, but such a sweetness is not traditionally Caucasian and is not as healthy as a natural product.

How is churchkhela prepared?

Cooking churchkhela is a rather long and labor-intensive process. Nevertheless, it can be prepared even at home, the main thing is to be patient. Let's look at step-by-step instructions for making a national Caucasian dish - classic churchkhela with grape juice and walnuts.

So, to prepare this delicacy, you need to have the following products on hand:

• grape juice (2 l)
• walnuts (200 g)
• sifted wheat flour (200 g)
• sugar (100 g)

With just these four ingredients you will make churchkhela. Use simple step-by-step instructions:

• First you need to lightly fry the nuts over low heat to make it easier to separate them from the skins. Make sure that you manage to peel all the nuts well, because the peel will get stuck in your teeth and make the sweetness uneven.
• Large pieces of nuts are suitable - it is better to take whole or halves. Using a needle, they should be carefully threaded. Tie a match to the lower end of the thread. Make about 20-30 cm of nuts on the thread, and then tie the thread into a loop on top.
• Grape juice should be simmered over low heat in a metal container. In total, you need to cook for about two hours, periodically skimming off the foam.
• Then gradually pour the sugar into the juice, stirring until the sugar is evenly distributed.
• Let the juice cool to room temperature.
• Gradually pour the flour into it, stirring the substance so that no lumps form. The texture of your mixture, which Caucasians call tatara) should be homogeneous.
• Put the container back to simmer over low heat. Wait until the volume is reduced by half and the mixture is thick enough.
• You need to dip a bunch of nuts into the hot thick mass, wait 5-7 minutes until it dries, and dip it two or three more times at the same interval.
• Do the same with each bunch of nuts.
• Then the churchkhela needs to be dried in the sun. It should stop sticking to your hands.
• Wrap the churchkhela in a towel and leave it in a dry, ventilated place to ripen for a couple of months. After ripening, the churchkhela will be covered with a film of powdered sugar - this is a normal process. At the same time, it should remain just as soft.

Natural churchkhela is a tasty and healthy sweet that you can not only buy ready-made, but can also easily make at home yourself. Churchkhela can be a tasty and healthy dessert for those who are watching their figure. It is also perfect as a complement to a hearty breakfast or a snack on the road, because the nuts give a boost of energy, and the juice supplies the body with vitamins.

Churchkhela is a delicious national Georgian and Armenian delicacy made on a string. It turns out that the recipe for making churchkhela is quite simple, and you can make it yourself at home. It is usually made from walnuts, but almonds or hazelnuts can also be used. What always remains unchanged in this dish is the grape starchy jelly-like mass called Tatars. It is brewed from grape juice, sugar and flour. Making churchkhela is a simple and very interesting procedure, however, you will have to wait about a couple of weeks for the results. Let's look at recipes for making churchkhela.

Churchkhela at home

Ingredients:

• grape juice – 2 l;
• peeled walnuts – 1.5 tbsp;
• wheat flour – 250 g;
• honey – 0.5 tbsp.

Preparation

How to make churchkhela at home? To begin, carefully string the hazelnuts and walnut halves onto a strong, thick thread approximately 25 cm long using a large needle. We leave 6 cm of free thread on top and make a loop, from which we will then hang our delicacy.

Pour the remaining juice into a saucepan and begin to simmer until it boils over low heat. After boiling, add the juice and flour, carefully pouring in a thin stream, stirring continuously. Next, without stopping stirring, add honey. Boil the mixture to a consistency reminiscent of very thick jelly. Then remove the tatara from the heat and, stirring, cool to 50 degrees.

Now take the threads with nuts and completely immerse them in the prepared mass for about 2 minutes, so that the entire thread is covered with thick juice.

Dry the churchkhela in a dry, well-ventilated area. Be sure to place paper under the sweetness, because juice will drip at first. Determine the degree of readiness as the top layer dries, and the inside of the churchkhela should remain soft. After drying, transfer the treat to the box, alternating with parchment paper. The sweetness is completely ready after about 2-3 months, when the delicacy is completely dried out.

Armenian churchkhela

Ingredients:

• apple or apricot juice – 1 l;
• corn or wheat flour - 0.5 tbsp;
• almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, dried fruits - to taste.

Preparation

How to cook churchkhela? Before preparing churchkhela, we thread nuts with any dried fruits (hazelnuts with pineapple or walnuts with kiwi) through threads.

Now let's move on to preparing the juice decoction. Pour the selected juice into a saucepan, put it on medium heat and, as soon as it boils, slowly add the pre-sifted flour, stirring everything lightly with a spoon. You can add a little cinnamon to taste or a vanilla pod to the juice before boiling. As soon as our mixture takes on the consistency of thick jelly, carefully remove from heat and cool.

Dip dried fruits and nuts strung on threads into the cooled mixture for about a minute. Next, take out and dry the churchkhela for 5 minutes, and then repeat this procedure two or three times to get a thick layer.

Carefully fasten the churchkhela to a thread and hang it to dry for about two weeks in a dry, well-ventilated place. Be sure to place paper under the sweets.

Well, while your churchkhela is drying, you can treat yourself to other delicacies, for example, or.

There are few tasty and healthy desserts that can retain their taste for months. Churchkhela or " sujuk from walnuts" contains ingredients available almost at any time of the year, and can compete with other recipes in ease of preparation. A centuries-old wonder from the east, it was often used by warriors on long campaigns to reinforce their strength. It is an integral part of local feasts and feasts.

How to make churchkhela - necessary ingredients

• Fresh grapes – 1.5 – 3 kg. Sweet varieties with the lowest seed content are suitable, such as Isabella, Moldova, out of season; you can use store-bought or home-canned juice 1 - 2 liters.
• Nuts - in the classic version, walnuts and hazelnuts are used, there are different ratios, for example, 70% to 30%, nothing prevents you from changing the proportions. Total weight 150 - 200 g per liter of juice.
• Sifted wheat or corn flour – 100 – 125 g per 1 liter of juice.
• A thick needle and several meters of strong cotton thread, a thimble.

How to make churchkhela - preparation

Nuts

• If you want to deviate from the canonical recipe, you can add pumpkin seeds, raisins, apricot kernels or small prunes to the nuts. Also, pomegranate juice will give the candies a red color, apple juice – amber, and apricot juice – yellow.
• The cooking process itself begins with preparing a place for drying churchkhela. The average length of the threads is 30 - 40 cm. Do not forget that juice will drip at first, so prepare baking paper or baking sheets so as not to spoil the lower surfaces. If it is placed outdoors, you will need gauze covers to protect it from insects.
• The next step begins with lightly frying the nuts in an empty frying pan for 3-5 minutes. The walnut is divided into halves and, if it is very large, then into quarters.
• Now you need to string the nuts onto a thread, piercing them with a needle, creating a row 15–25 cm long. Also leaving an indent of 5–10 cm on each edge of the sausage. A knot is tied at one edge or a toothpick is tied so that the nuts do not move out. On the other there is a loop for attaching threads in a vertical position.

Cooking pelamushi

• The grapes are washed and placed in the juicer. If this technique is not available, a blender will come in handy, after which the pulp is rubbed through a sieve or squeezed through cheesecloth. All the juice, except for 200 - 300 g of glass, is poured into a saucepan and simmered over low heat for 15-25 minutes. The remaining portion goes into the bowl along with the flour and is mixed until smooth.
• After the juice has boiled, you can cook for a couple more minutes. Add the liquid and flour contents in a small stream, remembering to stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. There is no need to rush, this is one of the most important stages. Rushing or lack of stirring will lead to lumps, which can have a detrimental effect on the result.
• The juice is boiled for 15 – 20 minutes. until jelly-like. Stir once every couple of minutes. It is also worth tasting the juice for sweetness; if it is a bit sour, add honey or sugar. If the juice has thickened enough and holds on a spoon, then it is cooled on the stove to 50 °C.

Churchkhela – final stage

• Prepared threads with nuts are dipped in pelamush using a spoon for 3-5 minutes. This is done so that the ends of the threads do not fall into the dishes. Keep the sweets over the pan so that the excess drips off. If the nuts are completely exposed, it means the jelly was not thick enough and next time you need to add more flour. Then the sweets are hung out to dry for 20 minutes. The procedure is repeated until the nuts are covered by 2 cm (or a little more) pelamushyu.
• The remaining jelly and nuts can be mixed, and then poured into small molds and put in the oven for 10-20 minutes. You will get delicious candies. The very same pelamush It takes 4-7 days to dry in the apartment. You can speed up the process and expose it to the sun for 2 days, but this will dry out the product more.
• Churchkhela is almost ready to eat. According to tradition, they are laid out in boxes and hidden in dark, dry places for several months for final soaking of the nuts.

As you can see from the example above, oriental wonders are not always difficult to prepare, or not available in terms of ingredients. But they certainly add great variety to the everyday dessert range. Also in the future, you can experiment with fillings and spices, which will finally add uniqueness to the product.