Uzbek Sujukh Nut Roll Pudding

About This Recipe

Sujukh is a traditional Central Asian sweet made by dipping strings of walnuts repeatedly into thickened grape or fruit juice until they build up a firm, chewy candy coating — a technique with roots stretching back along Silk Road trade routes, still made in Uzbekistan today, especially around harvest season. This pudding takes the same core flavor pairing — walnuts and reduced fruit sweetness — and turns it into a softer, sliceable dessert using honey and a light gelatin or cornstarch set instead of the labor-intensive dipping process. Toasting the walnuts before folding them in deepens their flavor considerably, since raw walnuts can taste slightly bitter or flat by comparison. The honey and a splash of grape juice are simmered down until slightly thickened, echoing the reduced grape must (bekmes) traditionally used in sujukh, before being combined with the nuts and set in a loaf pan to firm up. Sliced into thick rounds and served with tea, this makes a simplified, home-kitchen homage to a labor-intensive traditional sweet, honest about being an adaptation rather than the real hand-dipped version.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 cupswalnuts(toasted and roughly chopped)
• 1 cupgrape juice
• 0.5 cuphoney
• 2 tbspcornstarch
• 2 tbspcold water
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the walnuts

   Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Let cool slightly and chop roughly.

2. 2

   Reduce the grape juice

   In a saucepan, combine grape juice and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8-10 minutes until reduced by about a third and slightly syrupy.

3. 3

   Make the slurry

   Whisk cornstarch and cold water together until smooth.

4. 4

   Thicken the syrup

   Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering syrup and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened noticeably.

   Keep whisking constantly once the slurry goes in — cornstarch mixtures can form lumps quickly if left unstirred.

5. 5

   Combine with walnuts

   Remove from heat and stir in the toasted walnuts, salt and cinnamon if using, until evenly coated.

6. 6

   Set and slice

   Pour into a lightly oiled loaf pan lined with parchment, pressing down firmly. Chill at least 3 hours, or overnight, until firm, then slice into rounds to serve.

Variations

• •

  Add a handful of dried apricots, chopped, for extra sweetness and chew, a common regional pairing with walnuts.

• •

  Use pomegranate juice instead of grape juice for a tangier, more vibrant version.

• •

  Roll individual portions in extra chopped walnuts before chilling for a more candy-like presentation.

Storage

Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week. The pudding softens at room temperature, so keep chilled until ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions