Oriental sweets are known all over the world, and at the top of their list, of course, are kozinaki. What they are and how to prepare them at home according to real Georgian recipes will be discussed in this article.
History of origin
Kozinaki first appeared in Georgia. There they were made from a mixture of honey and crushed walnuts. Kozinaki made from sunflower seeds appeared much later. In Georgia, kozinaki was made without sugar, sugar syrup and other additives.
They were prepared like this: they boiled honey, added crushed walnuts in large quantities, poured this mixture and left it to dry in the sun. After several days, the sweets were ready.
Later, this sweetness began to be made from a mixture of honey and sunflower seeds, and they began to be made as such in Ukraine. In other localities, they also began to make kozinaki from other ingredients, for example, kozinak from sesame owes its appearance to Turkey.
And yet it is worth noting that real kozinak is made without sugar. This is exactly how it was made in Georgia, Armenia and other Eastern countries. There it was believed that kozinaki was a sign of prosperity and wealth, so this sweetness could be found at various festivals, celebrations and weddings.
The benefits and harms of the most popular oriental sweets
Let us consider in detail the composition, benefits and possible harm of kozinaki made from seeds. Natural kozinak consists only of honey and nuts or seeds.
Honey is a food product that is rich in vitamins and minerals. This was known to the Georgians who invented this sweet. Natural sweets were made from May honey, which is even richer in nutrients. Honey increases the body's protective properties.
This sweet also contains high-calorie seeds or nuts, which means that their nutritional value is very high. Of course, if you eat kozinaki made only from natural products, that is, honey and seeds, it is a safe product for the body.
However, it should not be consumed in large quantities, especially for those who are watching their figure or have problems with excess weight. The high calorie content of nuts, seeds and, as a result, ready-made sweets helps the body quickly restore strength and establish vital processes.
Kozinaki has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart. Also, the products included in its composition have a beneficial effect on the hormonal levels of the body. Cozinaki can cause harm to the body if eaten in excessive quantities. It is an extremely high-calorie product, which means it should not be eaten in large quantities.
In addition, only natural oriental sweets can be healthy, made exclusively from honey and seeds or nuts. If the composition of kozinaki contains sugar, sugar syrup, vegetable oil and other components that are high in calories but do not benefit the body, consuming such sweets can be harmful and not bring the expected benefit.
Unfortunately, most of the kozinaki currently produced, which can be bought in the store, are made from these unnatural and harmful products. This means that you need to prepare them yourself, or buy them from those who prepare real oriental sweets.
Sesame and pumpkin seeds
Kozinaki is made from various nuts and seeds. Sunflower ones remain the most popular, but you can increasingly see kozinaki made from sesame and pumpkin seeds. Sesame is more popular, but both options are very healthy due to their composition. Read on for the benefits of kozinak made from sesame and pumpkin seeds.
Sesame
Kozinaki made from sesame seeds was invented in Turkey. They probably knew that sesame seeds contain a large amount of calcium. As you know, calcium strengthens bone tissue, teeth and hair. Sesame seeds help strengthen the immune system. It is useful for those who regularly engage in heavy physical labor.
Sesame also contains large amounts of potassium. This element is very useful for diseases such as hypertension. Nevertheless, sesame kozinak also remains an extremely high-calorie product. In addition, it is only useful if it is made from sesame and honey, without sugar syrup.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin seeds are rarely used to make kozinaki, however they are easy to prepare at home. Although pumpkin seeds are approximately half fat, they are still high in amino acids, B vitamins, niacin and manganese.
These and other beneficial elements contained in pumpkin seeds can improve immunity, lower cholesterol levels, help fight diseases such as arthritis and prevent osteoporosis.
If pumpkin kozinaki is prepared without sugar, it helps normalize blood glucose levels. Natural pumpkin kozinak is useful for hypertension.
Calorie content of kozinaki in its various variants
As mentioned above, the nutritional value of kozinaki is very high. If they are made only from honey and seeds, you don’t have to worry about high calorie content, since these are all natural products. In addition, you won’t be able to eat too much of this natural product.
How many calories are in 100 g, that is, approximately in one bar, of this oriental sweet? So, in a 100 gram bar of sunflower seeds there are approximately 580 calories, in a sesame bar there are 510, and in cooked kozinaki from peanuts up to 500. Of course, these figures are only valid if the kozinak was prepared without sugar and butter.
The simplest recipe
This is the classic and simplest recipe for making kozinaki from seeds, which can be easily repeated at home.
How to cook kozinaki from seeds:
When laying on a baking sheet or tray, the tiles will then need to be cut. This is easy to do with a sharp knife after it has completely hardened.
Recipe for kozinaki from seeds, poppy seeds and honey
Poppy seeds can be bought at the store, in the same section where nuts are sold.
The sweetness takes 15 minutes to prepare.
The calorie content of a 100 g bar is about 500 g.
How to cook kozinaki from sunflower seeds with poppy seeds:
- Lightly dry the peeled seeds in a hot frying pan;
- Add poppy seeds to the seeds. Stirring, fry for another two minutes;
- Pour this mixture with liquid honey, stir, and keep on low heat until it partially hardens;
- Remove the mixture from the heat, pour into molds and leave to harden for several hours. You can put the kozinak in the refrigerator.
You can buy more poppy seeds if you wish, but there should be at least two times less than seeds.
How to make sweets with peanuts
Peanuts are a very high-calorie product, but no more caloric than seeds. When preparing kozinak from seeds and peanuts, its calorie content remains almost unchanged.
The sweetness takes up to 25 minutes to prepare.
The calorie content of a 100 g tile is 510 units.
How to cook:
- Roast the peanuts in the oven. 5 minutes is enough for this;
- Dry the seeds in a frying pan, stirring constantly, fry until golden brown;
- Add peanuts to the seeds;
- Melt honey in a water bath. It should be liquid and hot;
- Pour honey into the mixture of seeds and nuts. Stir and, stirring constantly, keep the mixture on the fire until viscosity appears. Nevertheless, the mass must be elastic;
- Remove from heat and arrange into molds. It is advisable to leave it to harden for a day or even two, but you can eat it after two hours.
Depending on the freshness of the honey, you may need more or less than this amount. Therefore, it should be added in parts, but not all at once.
Homemade sesame seed dessert
Sesame seeds, as described earlier, are very beneficial. In addition, many people love them, unlike, for example, the equally healthy flax seeds.
The sweetness takes up to 15 minutes to prepare.
The calorie content of a 100 g tile is 530 units.
How to cook:
- First you need to measure out all the ingredients. Their proportions can be changed, the main thing is that the end result is one and a half glasses;
- Mix all the nuts and seeds, separate about a quarter, grind it in a blender or coffee grinder;
- As a result of grinding, the mass should almost turn into dust. Combine both parts of the seeds, crushed and regular, and add two tablespoons of liquid honey. Mix thoroughly. As a result, the mass will be a little dry, but elastic;
- Then you need to take an empty plastic mold, for example, from a mayonnaise mold, cover the bottom and walls with cling film to make it easier to get the finished sweet out of the mold;
- Spread this mass in an even layer, its thickness will be approximately ½ cm;
- Compact the mixture tightly and level the top. This can be done directly with your hands;
- Using a knife or spoon, make shallow cuts in the form of rectangles or squares on top. This is done so that the finished kozinak resembles the store-bought one, and so that it is easier to break it into portions;
- Kozinak needs to be dried for 2 days. In winter you can put it on the battery, in summer you can just leave it at room temperature.
After time, break the kozinaki into portions along the cut line.
Pumpkin kozinaki: step-by-step recipe
Pumpkin seeds need to be broken, they are too big. You can do this with a rolling pin so as not to overdo it and turn the seeds into powder.
The sweetness takes 15 minutes to prepare.
The calorie content of a 100 g bar is 370 units.
Recipe for kozinaki from pumpkin seeds step by step:
- Dry the peeled pumpkin seeds in a hot frying pan for several minutes;
- Heat the honey over low heat or a water bath;
- Mix honey and seeds, stir;
- Line a baking dish or plastic tray with parchment paper and place the pumpkin mixture on it;
- Flatten it with a spoon or your hands, make cuts and leave for 30 minutes to cool;
- Then put it in the refrigerator for several hours. After this, the kozinaki can be cut.
Pumpkin seeds, compared to others, have less calories; they contain about 420 kcal per 100 g. Therefore, such kozinaki are the lowest in calories.
How to cook the most delicious kozinaki? The naturalness and taste of the products plays an important role. It follows from this that it is best to purchase honey directly from beekeepers, if possible.
Of course, they are unlikely to sell you 4 tablespoons of honey for kozinaki, but real honey can be used in a variety of ways. Since it is a natural and safe product, it can be eaten every day and can also be used for a wide variety of ailments. It will be very useful to replace sugar in tea.
As for nuts and seeds, it is also better to buy them not in a store, but from people who have an estate where they grow sunflowers or have nuts. You can peel the seeds yourself, but the nuts can be easily cracked using a knife, garlic chopper or meat hammer.
So, how to prepare natural kozinaki from seeds? The answer to this question is simple: since kozinaki was prepared exclusively from natural products, one should repeat the experience of the ancient Georgians and find the most natural ingredients. Also, you should never add sugar to them!
- This is an oriental sweet, beloved since childhood by all children and adults. Most often, this delicacy is prepared from seeds, nuts and combined with honey and sugar caramel. Then a layer is formed from the mass, cooled and cut into pieces. Do you know the benefits of kozinaki made from seeds? First of all, they contain magnesium and zinc. They perfectly reduce cholesterol in the blood and slow down the aging process of the body. Let's find out with you how to make delicious kozinaki from seeds.
Recipe for kozinaki from seeds
Ingredients:
- sunflower seeds – 100 g;
- sesame seeds – 20 g;
- honey - 1 tbsp. spoon;
- sugar – 50 g.
Preparation
Now we’ll tell you how to prepare real and tasty kozinaki from seeds. We sort out the sunflower seeds, peel them and place them in a dry frying pan. Fry over high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are browned and begin to smell delicious. Then add honey, add granulated sugar and, continuing to stir, fry until it melts and everything turns into a homogeneous mass. After this, put the sweet mixture into silicone molds prepared in advance and leave it to cool on the table. In about an hour, the delicious homemade delicacy will be ready.
Kozinaki from sunflower seeds
Ingredients:
- vegetable oil – 1 tbsp. spoon;
- honey - 1 tbsp. spoon;
- sugar – 3 tbsp. spoons;
- sunflower seeds – 200 g.
Preparation
Combine sugar and honey in a small bowl. Heat the mixture over low heat until completely dissolved and obtain a homogeneous mass. Then combine the melted sugar-honey mixture with peeled sunflower seeds and mix thoroughly so that each seed is evenly covered with the sweet mass. After this, spread the mixture onto foil greased with sunflower oil, cut into strips and leave to harden.
How to make kozinaki from pumpkin seeds?
Ingredients:
- pumpkin seeds – 1 tbsp.;
- sesame – 0.5 tbsp;
- peanuts – 1 tbsp.;
- honey – 0.5 tbsp.;
- vegetable oil.
Preparation
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with vegetable oil. In three batches, fry the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Then reduce the heat and brown the sesame seeds in the same pan. Next, pour in a little vegetable oil and heat it to lubricate the walls and bottom of the dish. Now add honey and bring to a boil, stirring. After this, remove from heat, add pumpkin seeds, nuts and sesame seeds. Quickly mix everything with a wooden spatula, place the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and level it with wet hands. Cool the kozinaki at room temperature for 45 minutes, and then divide or cut into small portions with a knife. Store the treat in an airtight container.
Homemade kozinaki from seeds
Ingredients:
- seeds – 150 g;
- walnuts – 30 g;
- sesame seeds – 30 g;
- honey – 150 g;
- granulated sugar – 30 g;
- lemon juice - to taste.
Preparation
We clean the seeds and fry them together with sesame seeds. In a separate saucepan, mix honey, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir everything over medium heat until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved. Then add seeds and peeled walnuts to the honey and stir constantly for 15 minutes. When the mixture thickens a little and becomes browner, spread it in an even layer on a flat plate, carefully level it with wet hands and let it cool completely and harden. Then we break the delicacy into diamonds and serve the prepared kozinaki with hot tea or coffee.
I really love kozinaki, especially nut ones. Today I want to offer a mixed version - kozinaki made from pumpkin seeds and walnuts. These are sweets for all times, do not contain harmful additives. They can be submitted even during the period of fasting, although in any other period it is unlikely that anyone will refuse them. To eat these sweets you only need to have strong teeth :))
Let's take all the ingredients from the list.
First you need to fry the seeds and nuts in a dry frying pan, just dry them slightly and get a delicate roasted flavor. Place nuts and seeds on a plate.
Heat sugar and honey in a frying pan.
Sugar and honey should melt, sugar grains should completely dissolve, and the sugar mixture should acquire a caramel color.
Add nuts and seeds to hot caramel. Mix well until all the pieces are covered with caramel.
Grease the parchment with vegetable oil and place the hot caramel-nut mixture on it. Immediately press and smooth to a thickness of 7 mm. While the mixture is still warm, cut into portions with a knife.