About Gozinaki with Mulberry Bakmazi
Mulberry bakmazi gives this Meskhetian New Year sweet its dark, fruity syrup coating. Coarsely chopped toasted walnuts are stirred into the concentrated mulberry syrup, pressed into a thin layer and cut into small diamonds while still warm. The syrup firms as it cools, leaving neat pieces with a dense walnut bite.
Gozinaki is closely associated with Georgian New Year celebrations. In Samtskhe, the regional form uses mulberry bakmazi in place of honey. Bakmazi is a concentrated fruit syrup traditionally made by slowly cooking mulberries and reducing their pressed juice. The result is thick, sticky and fruit-forward, with a character distinct from honey.
This measured home version binds toasted walnuts with finished mulberry bakmazi. The regional family ratio is not published, so the amounts here are a practical starting point rather than a claim to reproduce one household's formula. Bakmazi concentration differs between makers; the cold-water setting check is more useful than relying on minutes alone. Cook gently and stop as soon as a drop holds together in cold water.
Gozinaki sets quickly once it leaves the pan. Have the lined tray, second sheet of parchment, flat pressing surface and oiled knife ready before heating the syrup. Keep the walnut pieces coarse enough to give the candy structure, but small enough that the thin layer can be cut cleanly. Press the mixture evenly to about 1 cm thick and score it while warm and pliable.
