Traditionally, toot is prepared for Nowruz (Persian New Year) and wedding ceremonies to symbolize sweetness and prosperity. This is a simple and quick sweet that requires only a few ingredients. It's also a fun activity to do with your kids on special occasions.
If you grew up in Iran, you likely have a memory of climbing a mulberry tree, shaking its branches, or eagerly collecting the ripe fruits that tumbled down. In springtime, when I pass by the mulberry trees heavy with white, red, or black berries on my way to the park near my home in a small Long Island town, I can't help but feel a wave of nostalgia, remembering the joy of picking mulberries as a child.
Fresh, ripe mulberry fruits are sweet and juicy. White mulberries are often sun-dried and enjoyed with tea as a mild, naturally sweet treat, a healthy alternative for those who need to watch their sugar intake.
Fresh, ripe mulberry fruits are sweet and juicy. White mulberries are often sun-dried and enjoyed with tea as a mild, naturally sweet treat, a healthy alternative for those who need to watch their sugar intake.
Interestingly, white mulberry leaves are the main source of food for silkworms. Many centuries ago, the cultivation of mulberry trees and the production of silk were highly encouraged in Persia, which lay along the ancient trade route from China to Europe called Jadeh-Abrisham (The Silk Road). Some of the towns on the route included Kermanshah, Hamadan, Ray, Yazd, and Nayshabour.
This recipe was adapted from The Legendary Cuisine of Persia by Margaret Shaida.
For a more festive and beautiful look, add a few drops of organic, all-natural food coloring.
Toot-Marzipan Mulberries
Ingredients
Ingredients
-1 cup ground almonds
-1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
-2 tablespoons rosewater, more if needed
-1 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1/2 cup white granulated sugar
-1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
-2 tablespoons rosewater, more if needed
-1 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1/2 cup white granulated sugar
-2 tablespoons slivered pistachios or almonds
Method:
Enjoy!
Method:
- In a bowl, combine ground almonds, confectioners' sugar, and cardamom powder. Mix well.
- Gradually add the rosewater, one tablespoon and a time, until the mixture comes together into a soft paste.
- Take a small piece of the mixture, roll it into a ball, and shape it gently into a mulberry (toot) form.
- Roll each toot in granulated sugar to coat all sides evenly.
- Press a slivered pistachio or almond into the top of each toot.
Enjoy!