Giurgiulena facts for kids
The giurgiulena (also known as giuggiulena, cubaita, or cumpittu) is a special Christmas candy from Italy. It's a bit like nougat and is very popular in Sicily and Calabria, two regions in southern Italy. People often enjoy this sweet treat during the holiday season.
What is Giurgiulena Made Of?
The main ingredient in giurgiulena is sesame. In Sicily and Calabria, sesame is often called by local names like giuggiulena, gigiolena, or ciciulena. The recipe is quite simple but delicious! It's made by mixing sesame seeds with sweet honey. Then, sugar is added and heated until it turns into caramel. This helps hold everything together, just like in nougat. Sometimes, people add other yummy things like almonds or candied orange peel to make it even richer.
How is Giurgiulena Made?
Making giurgiulena takes a lot of time and patience. After mixing all the ingredients, the candy needs to rest for about 24 hours. This helps it set properly. Once it's ready, giurgiulena is usually cut into small diamond or rectangle shapes. Sometimes, it's sprinkled with colorful little candies called confetti to make it look festive. Each piece is often wrapped individually, sometimes even with aromatic orange leaves, which add a nice smell.
A Sweet History
Like many other delicious pastries from Sicily and Calabria, giurgiulena is thought to have come from Arab cooking traditions. The name giurgiulena actually comes from the Arabic word juljulàn, which means sesame. The other name, cubaita, also comes from an Arabic word, qubayt. This shows how different cultures have influenced the food we enjoy today!
