Sohan-e Qom (or simply Sohan) is one of the most beloved traditional sweets in Iran. Originating from the holy city of Qom, this rich, buttery brittle is infused with the heavenly aroma of saffron, cardamom, and rose water, then studded with crunchy pistachios and almonds.
Unlike typical hard toffees, Sohan has a unique texture—crispy, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth—thanks to the addition of wheat sprout flour (Samanu flour). If you are looking to recreate the authentic taste of a Persian bakery at home, this recipe is your ultimate guide.
This sweet is a kind of delicious Iranian sweet, like Persian Baklava, Baklava Ghazvini, Zoolbia Bamieh, Shirini Gerdooee, that you can eat as a snack in the afternoon with Persian tea.
My experience table:
| My level of interest is from 1 to 10 | 7 |
| The ease of cooking | Medium |
| Served for | Dessert, sweet |
| Suggest for | Daily sweet, party dessert |
| What is served with? | Persian tea, coffee |
How to make Sohane Qom?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Original Amount | Weight (Metric – g) | Weight (Imperial – lb) |
| Wheat germ powder | 2 teaspoons | ~ 6 g | ~ 0.013 lb |
| Wheat flour | 2 and 1/2 tablespoons | ~ 20 g | ~ 0.044 lb |
| Water | 8 tablespoons | ~ 120 g | ~ 0.26 lb |
| Melted butter | 10 tablespoons | ~ 142 g | ~ 0.31 lb |
| Cardamom powder | 1/2 teaspoon | ~ 1 g | ~ 0.002 lb |
| Saffron | 1/2 teaspoon | ~ 0.5 g | Negligible |
| Salt | 1/8 teaspoon | < 1 g | Negligible |
| Honey | 6 tablespoons | ~ 126 g | ~ 0.28 lb |
| Sugar | 1 cup | ~ 200 g | ~ 0.44 lb |
| Sliced almonds | 1/4 cup | ~ 25 g | ~ 0.055 lb |
| Chopped pistachio nuts | 1/2 cup | ~ 65 g | ~ 0.14 lb |
Instructions :
1. First, set aside the appropriate container in which you want to put the sweets. Put a suitable pot on the heat and add wheat flour, wheat germ powder, and sugar to it.
Stir the ingredients regularly for 2-3 minutes until their rawness is removed. Add water to the pot and stir until the water boils and the sugar dissolves completely.
2. Add the butter to the pot and stir with the rest of the ingredients until the butter is completely melted. Then add salt, honey, cardamom, and saffron to it.
Place the thermometer in the pot, and when the temperature of the ingredients reaches 260 degrees Celsius, quickly add the almond slices.
3. Pour the hot mixture into the prepared dish in any way you like and decorate it with pistachio nuts. With the help of a spoon, press the nuts into the filet and then set it aside until the filet is completely hard and cool.
History :
The history of this sweet dates back to the Qajar dynasty (around 1910). During the opening ceremony of the new courtyard at the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh in Qom, a local confectioner named Mollah Ibrahim Shammai presented a new type of halva-like sweet to the Shah’s representative.
After a heavy lunch, the representative ate the sweet and famously said: “This sweet acted like a file (Sohan) for my stomach and helped digest the food!”
From that day on, this saffron brittle was named “Sohan.” Initially reserved for nobles, it became a mass-produced souvenir of Qom after the invention of industrial stirring machines in recent decades.
Features of a good Sohan e Qom:
For a sweet to be of high quality, it must have many features and go through a complex process.
The quality of the raw materials used in this sweet is one of the most important factors in the quality of the sweet. In general, a high-quality product does not stick to the teeth.
Its hardness indicates its staleness. This staleness can be due to the bad quality of raw materials or the fact that a long time has passed since its production date.
To know how to prepare a delicious and high-quality it, you should first get to know more about its raw materials.
Materials affecting the quality of Sohan e qom:
The materials that affect the quality of Sohan e qom are, first of all, oil and butter; then we can mention the pistachios and almonds used.
Before starting the review of how to prepare this, be aware that the oil used in Persian Sohan is animal oil. If this oil is not fresh or if it is of poor quality, it can cause it to become hard and dry.
In this way, when this Persian sweet is produced, the quality will be lost in a very short time, and it will taste bad, dry, and hard. Also, the use of vegetable oil can cause a decrease in the quality of the dish.
Another important thing in the recipe and how to prepare it is saffron. High-quality saffron, in addition to giving a good color and glaze to them, can also be involved and effective in its aroma. If the saffron used in them is not of good quality, the quality of this sweet will decrease.
Meanwhile, many producers prefer to use industrial colors instead of high-quality saffron. These colors are much cheaper than saffron.
But the price is not the only issue. Industrial colors do not have the right color that saffron gives to this sweet, and they do not give it enough fragrance.
Important tips:
- If the material sticks to your pot and it becomes difficult to wash it, for this purpose, pour a cup of water into the pot and put the pot on the heat again until the water boils and the material dissolves in the water. Then wash it again.
- If you use whole almonds, first soak them in a glass for at least an hour with a little water, then peel them and cut them into wedges.
- It is better to use animal oil or butter.
- It is very important to use a cooking thermometer when making it because if the temperature changes even a little, your dessert will be ruined.
- Note that when you add water to the ingredients, you must constantly stir them. Otherwise, the flour will be balled up, and your mixture will be ruined.
- Note that the flour should be fried only enough to remove its rawness.
- You can add a little rose water to make it fragrant.
- Be careful that when you pour the ingredients into the container or bowl, you must do it quickly because your mixture may harden inside the pot. If this problem occurs, you can put it on the heat again to loosen it.
- You can store it for more than a week in an airtight container.
- It is better to pour the ingredients into a dish, and when it cools down, cut it into desired pieces and serve.
- Be careful to use the ingredients mentioned above in the exact amount because reducing or increasing them will spoil the result of your work.
- The heat should be such that it does not burn your hand.
- The diameter of this dessert should not be more than 2 mm.
- If you like a softer texture, add more butter.
- In addition to pistachio nuts, you can also use other nuts to prepare it.
FAQ :
1. What exactly is this Persian sweet? It is a traditional brittle toffee originating from the city of Qom. Famous as a classic souvenir, it is loved for its rich, buttery texture and distinct saffron aroma.
2. What does it taste like? This dessert has a complex flavor profile. It is sweet and buttery like traditional toffee, but with aromatic floral notes from rose water and cardamom, balanced by the earthy crunch of pistachios and almonds
3. What is it called, Sohan, in English? Outside of Iran, it is most commonly described as “Persian Saffron Brittle” or “Pistachio Butter Toffee” to explain its texture and ingredients to international foodies.
4. How many calories does it contain? This is a high-energy treat. On average, 100 grams contains about 550 kcal. A single serving piece (approx. 20g) has roughly 110 kcal, so it is best enjoyed in moderation.
5. How should I serve it? It pairs perfectly with hot beverages. The bitterness of fresh-brewed black tea or coffee cuts through the sweetness and rich butteriness of the candy, creating a balanced experience.
6. Can I freeze leftovers? Yes, you can freeze it for up to one month. However, to keep it crispy, make sure it is placed in a strictly airtight container to prevent moisture from making it sticky.
