Turkish cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Turkish Delight

Turkish delight made from sugar and starch, perfumed with rose water, with pistachios and powdered sugar.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 600 g sugar
• 120 g cornstarch
• 700 ml water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp rose water
• 80 g pistachios
• 60 g powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Brush a square pan with oil and dust with a little powdered sugar; roughly chop the pistachios.
2. Bring the sugar, 300 ml water and the lemon juice to a boil and cook without stirring for 12–15 min. up to 115 °C, until the syrup runs thickly off the spoon.
3. In a second pot, mix the starch with the remaining 400 ml cold water until lump-free and heat, whisking constantly, until a thick, glossy paste forms.
4. Stir the hot syrup into the starch paste in a thin stream and simmer the mixture over the lowest heat for 60–70 min., stirring regularly, until it turns golden, glossy and falls from the spoon like chewy gum.
5. Stir in the rose water and pistachios, spread the mixture 2 cm thick into the pan and let set at room temperature overnight – not in the fridge, or it turns tough.
6. Cut into cubes with an oiled knife, coat generously in the remaining powdered sugar and serve in a sealed tin.