img 105 1

Greek Grape Spoon Sweet (Stafydi Gliko) Recipe

I’m swamped with work, but these candied grapes in syrup are quick and simple to make, so I prepared a batch.

Mixing grapes and other ingredients for greek spoon sweet stafyli gliko.

Ingredients

2 lb grapes (use seedless if you prefer seedless candied grapes)
1 lb sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
1 TB lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
a few cloves (optional)

Method

Remove the stems and rinse the grapes thoroughly. Place them in a large pot with the sugar, salt, water, and orange juice.

Stir ingredients for greek spoon sweet recipe for stafyli gliko.

Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and prevent sticking.

Heating grapes for greek spoon sweet recipe stafyli gliko.

Boiling grapes for greek spoon sweet recipe stafyli gliko.

Turn off the heat and let the pot sit overnight so the grapes absorb the syrup. The next day, return the pot to the stove and simmer gently until the syrup thickens, about 45 minutes to an hour. Stir occasionally and keep the heat low to maintain whole grapes without bursting them.

Adding lemon juice to the grapes for greek spoon sweet recipe stafyli gliko.

When the syrup has reached your desired consistency, stir in the lemon juice and remove the pot from the heat. Allow the grapes to cool to room temperature, then stir in the vanilla extract.

Pack the candied grapes and syrup into clean jars. If you like, add a clove or two to each jar for a warm spice note. Traditionally these preserves can be stored at room temperature if properly sealed, but I keep them refrigerated for safety and longer freshness.

The candied grapes are done, greek spoon sweet recipe for stafyli gliko.

These candied grapes make a lovely topping for yogurt or ice cream, a sweet accompaniment to cheese, or a spoon sweet to enjoy on their own.