Delighting the palate with its texture, aroma, and shape, Turkish delight is based on Ottoman palace cuisine. For centuries, it has been an indispensable part of Turkish coffee. Moreover, it is served in mosques after prayers and in some traditional marriage ceremonies. The main ingredients are sugar, starch, powdered sugar, and flavours (such as rose, fruits, nuts, milk, and cream). Additionally, calories in Turkish Delight are 359 calories per 100 grams. Safranbolu, Isparta, and Afyon are famous for Turkish delight. Nevertheless, varieties of it change from region to region. Although the way it originated is not certain, it is rumoured that Muhittin Hacı Bekir’s Turkish delight won first place in a competition held at the request of the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamit I for a soft dessert, and this magnificent dessert spread throughout Anatolia. If you wonder what Turkish delight is and how you can make it, here is everything you need to know and a delicious Turkish delight recipe from Mama Fatma!
What is Turkish Delight?
Turkish delight is one of the most favorite sweets in Turkey. It is served with coffee and as a treat at religious feasts. It is basically made with sugar, water, and cornstarch with optional toppings and flavorings. Although there are some variants like “Afyon Lokumu”, and “Safranbolu Lokumu” the main ingredients and recipe are more or less the same. Some historians claim that Turkish delight has existed in the Anatolian region since the 15th century. However, official findings say it existed since the 17th century. Muhittin Hacı Bekir is the person who made the dessert popular by introducing it to Europe. After the 19th century, with the help of an English traveller who brought Hacı Bekir’s Turkish Delight with him, it spread across Europe and was known as Turkish delight. 100 grams of Turkish delight contains 359 calories, and one Turkish delight contains 9 calories. Calories in Turkish delight come from sugar. So excessive consumption is not recommended.
Ingredients
Here is a Turkish delight recipe from Mama Fatma!
-2 cups of water sugar
-3/4 cup water
-3/4 cup water cornstarch
-1/2 cup water
-1 tablespoon cornstarch
-1 tablespoon liquid oil
Turkish delight flavours and optional ingredients:
-Almond
-Pistachio
-Powdered sugar
-Rosewater
-Coconut
How to Make Turkish Delight?
At first, sugar and water are taken into a pot. The mixture is constantly stirred until the sugar is melted with high heat. After the sugar is melted, the heat is set to medium heat, and wait until the syrup is boiled. After the syrup is boiled, cornstarch is added to 1/2 cup water and stirred until it is melted. After the cornstarch is melted, it is added to the boiled syrup and stirred until the mixture is thickened. After this procedure, Turkish delight flavours (Turkish delight rose, Turkish delight chocolates) and optional ingredients are added and cooled in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. After the delight is cooled, it is shaped as it is wished. Then your Turkish delight is ready! With this Turkish delight recipe, indulge in the Sweet Delights of Homemade Turkish Delight.
How to serve Turkish delight
The ingredient on which the delight is covered should be chosen correctly to prevent sticking to each other. It is often dusted with icing sugar or powdered cream of tartar to prevent clinging. Besides, the crunch of nuts, pieces of dried fruits, and coconut. In general, Turkish delight is packaged in small cubes. This shape is particularly preferred near Turkish coffee. Turkish delight is most often served with Turkish coffee. It softens the bitterness of coffee. Consequently, the flavours of coffee and Turkish delight balance and do not overwhelm each other. On the other hand, there are bigger and roll portions. These are requested for some traditional ceremonies before the bride and groom get married. These Turkish delights are placed on the tray so a visual color feast is created. In a nutshell, Turkish delight has become an integral part of Turkish culture, accompanying religious feasts, various ceremonies, and coffee breaks with its unique presentation.
How to store leftovers?
Turkish Delight is a perishable dessert. Because of that reason, it should be paid attention to the store. For example, the place kept the dessert ought to be dark, dry, and cool. Consequently, it can be extended the shelf life by blocking the airflow. Additionally, the dessert should be kept closed in a glass jar. Storing in the refrigerator may be a good option. Consequently, it can be kept fresh for up to 15 days.
What is Proper Turkish Delight Made of?
Traditional Turkish delight ingredients are water, sugar, cornstarch, flavorings, and optional ingredients. Sugar is the main ingredient that provides the sweetness. It is boiled with water to create sugar syrup. After sugar syrup is prepared, cornstarch is added to Turkish delight to make it thickened. After this process, flavorings and optional ingredients are added. Rosewater, lemon, orange, pistachio, mint, hazelnut, and almond are the main flavorings and ingredients of traditional Turkish delight. You can experience the taste of traditional and the best Turkish Delight in Mama Fatma!
Is there Gelatin in Turkish Delight?
Gelatine can be used for Turkish delight as the thickening component. However, in authentic Turkish delight ingredients, cornstarch is used to thicken the Turkish delight. Gelatin is mainly used in Turkish delights that are made to sell in markets because it has a longer shelf life.
What is Turkish Delight Called in Turkey?
In Turkey, Turkish delight is called “Lokum”. The origin of the name comes from the Arabic word “Rahat-ul hulküm” which means the comfort of the throat. Also, there are some variant names like Safranbolu Lokumu, Afyon Lokumu, and Osmaneli Ayva Lokumu. These names are officially registered by Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.
Where to Buy Turkish Delight?
If you want to buy the most famous traditional Turkish delight, you should definitely visit Hacıbekir’s Turkish delight. However, traditional Turkish delight can be bought from a delight shop or a dried nuts shop as fresh and in traditional form. You can find different variations of Turkish delights such as Turkish delight chocolates and Turkish delight rose (rose flavour) in these stores. You can also buy Turkish inauthentic Turkish delights from local markets, which have longer shelf lives, but the taste will not be the same. You can say what about the Turkish Delight near me but don’t worry, I have a solution for you! If you are not able to taste this delicious sweet in Turkey, you can experience authentic Turkish delight in Mama Fatma!
Is Turkish Delight Vegan?
Traditional Turkish delight is completely vegan. Traditional Turkish delight contains only water, sugar cornstarch, and optional ingredients which are vegan, like almond, pistachio, powdered sugar etc. However, Turkish delights, which are made to sell in markets, majorly contain gelatin instead of cornstarch. So if you are vegan, you should buy the best Turkish delight from Mama Fatma because gelatin is a non-vegan ingredient. Also, it is worth mentioning that Turkish delight chocolates may not be a good option for you if you are a vegan.
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