Authentic Cyprus Traditional Sweets (Spoon sweets & Soutzioukos)

Lead Partner: Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry – CCCI

Spoon sweets are closely related to the culture and gastronomic tradition of Cyprus. Keeping the fruits/ vegetables/nuts with sugar and processing them into spoon sweets was and still is a great way of using. Because spoon sweets contain no fat and are made of pure materials, they are considered by many as an ideal kind of delicacy. Originally Spoon sweets are called Glyka tou Koytaliou due to their small size and the fact that they fit in a spoon. Spoon sweets are
usually served to guests, along with a Cyprus coffee and a cold glass of water.

Soutzioukos is the most well known of all grape  juice products that is produced traditionally, in Cyprus. Soutzioukos is made with almonds or walnuts, shelled and soaked to turn soft, and then sewn onto a cotton thread. The thread is dipped several times in finished palouze (ingredients grape juice and flour), a process that may take several days since each layer has to dry on the string before a new one is put on. Every time it is dipped, a new layer of palouze is added on the previous one until its diameter reaches three to four centimeters. Soutzioukos is then left to dry for 5-6 days, losing much of its moisture, thus increasing its shelf life. To serve, cut in pieces of 2-3 cm thick and enjoy a nutritious, natural sweet snack.