Nut and Seed Candies
The tradition of making candies from nuts and seeds can be traced back millennia.
The tradition of making candies from nuts and seeds can be traced back millennia. Ancient Greeks formed thin cakes from sesame and honey, a precursor to the sesame candies found across the region today. Persia developed early nut confections that influenced candy-making across the Middle East and beyond. And in 17th-century France, a nobleman’s chef invented praline by caramelizing nuts and sugar. Today, variations on these sweets abound.
Milk Street
Sohan
A traditional Persian sweet from Qom, Iran, sohan is a pistachio brittle perfumed with saffron, rosewater and cardamom. It’s associated with royalty—some accounts suggest that this richly aromatic candy was created in the 19th century in tribute to the shah to celebrate the unveiling of a new courtyard in the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh (one of Iran’s holiest sites). A mixture of flour, sugar and butter imparts a light, crisp texture. Today, sohan serves as a symbol of Persian hospitality.
Tilgul
During the Indian harvest festival of Sankranti, Maharashtrian families exchange tilgul laddoos—jaggery-based confections—while exclaiming “Tilgul ghya, goad goad bola,” or “Take tilgul and speak sweetly.” These bite-sized sesame balls are nutty, roasty and lightly sweet. Both the treat and the accompanying phrase serve as tokens of cheer and goodwill, encouraging friends and family to spread kindness in the year ahead.
Dragon’s Beard
Pulled by hand into a fine floss, Chinese dragon’s beard candy is a labor-intensive treat made from sugar and rice flour stretched into silky threads and filled with coconut, crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. Rumored to have been created by a court chef during the Han dynasty, the decadent candy fell out of favor during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. But today, it has made a comeback as festival fare and even has gained popularity abroad, especially in Singapore and South Korea.
Pasteli
Nutty, crunchy and lightly sweet, pasteli traces its roots to ancient Greece, where it was less of a dessert than an energy supplement for soldiers. To make it, sesame seeds and honey are mixed and shaped into rectangular bars, then baked. Modern variations embellish this simple formula with chopped nuts or honey infused with lemon peel for extra complexity.
Cajuzinhos
Cajuzinhos (or “little cashews” in Portuguese) are truffle-like confections formed into the shape of a cashew, yet they typically are made with peanuts. Originating in northern Brazil (where cashews are plentiful), the initial recipe combined crushed cashews with condensed milk and cocoa powder. As the recipe spread, peanuts proved an easier, more affordable substitute. Rich, soft and sweet, cajuzinhos are a staple treat at Brazilian celebrations.
