Greek Walnut Spoon Sweet Recipes

GREEK SPOON SWEETS (STAFYLI GLIKO)

Steps:

• Wash and clean the grapes, making sure that all stems are discarded.
• Cover the bottom of a large saucepan with a layer of grapes, then sprinkle with a layer of sugar. Repeat until all the grapes and sugar are in the pan.
• Pour the lemon juice over the grapes and sugar, and let rest for 12 hours.
• Add 1 1/2 cups water to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
• Let rest once more overnight, or up to 24 hours.
• Bring the grapes and liquid to a boil and add the vanilla and cloves.
• Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the syrup has become thick enough to coat a spoon. You want the fruit to look candied (the grapes will have actually shriveled a bit), and the syrup to be loose but gooey.
• Ladle the spoon sweets into clean mason jars and refrigerate.

GREEK WALNUT SPOON SWEET

Steps:

• Wash the walnuts well; place in a saucepan and add water to cover by two to 3 inches; boil until the walnuts have got quite soft (there is no time for this); remove from water and put in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover; leave in water for 48 hours, changing water every 8 hours.
• Boil the 2 lbs sugar with 3 cups water for 8 minutes; drain the walnuts from the water and insert an entire blanched almond into the centre of each walnut (this is done most easily using the pointy end of the almond to push it in); add the walnuts to the syrup and boil for 5-7 minutes; remove the saucepan from the fire and leave the walnuts to cool in the syrup for 24 hours.
• Put the saucepan back on the fire and bring to a boil again; skim off any foam that develops on the surface; boil until the syrup thickens no time is given for this, add the lemon juice and the vanilla beans; continue boiling the walnuts for a few more minutes (5-8?) and remove from the fire; when cold, put up in jars.