A dense, chewy dessert inspired by Central Asian sujukh nut candy, set into a pudding-style loaf with honey and walnuts.
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.
Serves 8
Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Let cool slightly and chop roughly.
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.
Whisk cornstarch and cold water together until smooth.
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.
Remove from heat and stir in the toasted walnuts, salt and cinnamon if using, until evenly coated.
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.
Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the loaf pan — air pockets make the pudding harder to slice cleanly once set.
Chill the pudding a full 3 hours minimum; slicing it too early results in a mixture that falls apart rather than holding together.
Toast the walnuts fully until fragrant — this step makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor compared to using raw walnuts.
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.
Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week. The pudding softens at room temperature, so keep chilled until ready to serve.
Sujukh is a traditional Central Asian sweet, historically made by repeatedly dipping walnut strings in thickened grape must (bekmes) until a firm candy coating forms, a labor-intensive process still practiced in parts of Uzbekistan and neighboring countries, particularly around the autumn grape harvest.
Yes — pomegranate or apple juice both work as substitutes for grape juice, though the flavor and color will shift accordingly; pomegranate gives a notably tangier result.
It likely needs more chilling time — give it a full 4-6 hours or overnight. If it's still too soft after that, the syrup wasn't reduced and thickened enough before combining with the nuts.
This usually points to walnuts that were over-toasted or slightly old. Fresh walnuts, toasted just until fragrant (not deeply browned), give a much sweeter, cleaner flavor.
Per serving (70g / 2.5 oz) · 8 servings total
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