Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for Bergamot Glyko (Spoon Sweet) with The Greek Herald. You can follow her on Instagram @mygreekkitchen for more!
Ingredients:
- 10 Bergamot
- 1 kg granulated sugar
- 1-2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 20 toothpicks
- 2 capfuls of rose water (optional)
Method:
- Wash the pergamot and dry. Using the fine side of a grater, grate the zest from the pergamot (do not throw away, can be used for cakes, biscuits, risottos etc).
- Cut the top and bottoms of the bergamot and using a sharp knife score the peel into equal quarters. Gently peel them away from the fruit and remove as much of the pith as possible (the white bit).
- Bring a large pot of hot water to a boil and throw in all the bergamot quartered peels. Leave them in the pot for approximately 2-3 minutes so they soften and become more pliable to roll. After 2-3 minutes remove from boiling water and drain them in a colander. Discard the water.
- Once they’re cool enough to handle, roll each peel tightly and thread it through the toothpick. Repeat with all the peels, putting 2 on each toothpick.
- In your pot you used before, refill with fresh water and bring to the boil again. Add the threaded bergamot peels gently into the pot of boiling water and let them boil away for 5 minutes. Once again, after the 5 minutes are over, remove them from the hot water and drain them.
- Repeat step 5 four more times, using fresh water each time. We do this to get rid of the bitterness in the peel. This will be a total of 5 times. The last time you do this, leave bergamot to cook for 15 minutes, and then leave them in the pot of hot water till they completely cool down in the water. Drain away the NEXT day.
- Now, using the same pot with no water in it, put the bergamot back in the pot (still with the toothpicks) and cover with the sugar. Leave it till the sugar has diluted down with any residue water from the peel. Now add 1 cup of water and gently stir the sugar making sure you don’t break any of the bergamot. Add the cinnamon stick and rose water if using. Bring it to boil on medium heat for about 25-30 minutes. Leave it overnight in the pot with lid on. Remove the toothpicks the next day.
- Next and last day, place them on the heat again, add some water if you see they are too dry and bring them to a boil on medium heat and simmer for a good hour. Try some to see if the bitterness has gone – the fruit will naturally be a little bitter but pleasant to the palette. If it’s still bitter keep cooking it for a further 20-30 minutes, also check that the syrup is ready. Stir and skim occasionally. Once done, cool completely and place in sterilised jars.
Niki Louca runs cooking classes in Melbourne. For more or to book classes visit My Greek Kitchen at www.mygreekkitchen.com.au or Instagram @mygreekkitchen. You can email Niki at: niki@mygreekkitchen.com.au.
 with The Greek Herald.){kind=link}