Sweets made with syrup from a variety of fruits such as watermelons, bergamots, figs, squash, quince, eggplants, dates and bitter oranges are one of the most popular deserts of Cypriot Cuisine. The king of these delicious sweets is the one made from green walnuts, which leaves a surprising taste in the mouth.

 

A healthy and a delicious food, walnuts are used in numerous recipes ranging from soups to deserts in the world cuisine. Walnuts have a special place in the Cypriot cuisine.

Even though it has the typical characteristics of the Mediterranean cuisine, the Cypriot cuisine attracts attention with its local delicacies, the most prestigious desert being the ones made from green walnuts. Green walnuts in syrup, which are made from walnuts collected as they are green and raw, is the most delicious way to crown an extremely palatable meal.

Actually similar sweets can be made from any fruit in Cyprus. Sweets made with syrup from a variety of fruits such as watermelons, bergamots, figs, squash, quince, eggplants, dates and bitter oranges are the most popular ones. First the fruits are peeled and washed, and put in lime to diminish the sourness. Later on, they are cooked in sugary and intense syrups and left in the syrup for a long time. Some of them are served fresh, and the others are conserved to be served later.

These sweets are the first things served to guests. Serving and presenting these attentively prepared sweets that are more beautiful and delicious than other require a special ceremony.

The most special and valuable one of these sweets that present a variety of tastes is green walnuts in syrup. When the green walnuts in syrup are cut into two, the sight of the green outer peel, the semi-hardened wooden peel below and the fruit of the immature walnut is amazing. It leaves a surprising taste in the mouth with its somewhat acrid and hefty syrup.

After meals, green walnuts in syrup are eaten with small forks in a small cup after being soaked in cold water for the syrup on them to slightly wash off.

 

Ingredients:

50 green walnuts

50 almonds

50 clovers

1250 gr sugar

2 lemons, squashed

1/2 water glass lemon juice

1/2 kg unhydrated lime

 

Instructions:

Peel the green shells of the walnuts. Make a cut at the top. Put them on a large plate and add enough water to cover it. Keep them in the water for seven days by changing the water every day. On the eight day, empty its water. Wash them with water and again put enough water to cover it. Put the lime on clean cheesecloth and tie the ends tightly. Put the bundle in the water that the walnuts are in. Keep it for six hours, stirring once in a while. Then wash the walnuts couple of times and transfer them in a big pan. Pour enough water to cover them and boil them for five minutes. Take the pan from the fire and wash the walnuts with cold water. Put them back into the pan and boil for five minutes. Wash them under cold water. Put them back into the pan and boil for almost 45 minutes. Check to see if they softened. Put the walnuts into another pan and add the juice of two lemons. Put water enough to cover them and let it wait for two hours. Take the walnuts from the water and place an almond and a clover to the cut place at the top. Take the walnuts to another plate and put sugar on top of them. Let it wait overnight like this. In the morning put one and a half cups of water. Boil in mild temperature. Stir it until the sugar melts. Take it off the stove and let it cool. After it cools down add half a glass lemon juice. Put it on the stove again and boil until the syrup darkens. Then cool it off well. Fill the jars with walnuts and its syrup.