Turkish delight or Lokum as it is also known is a sweet fragrant jelly confection traditionally flavoured with rosewater and heavily dusted with icing sugar and cornflour.
It is not difficult to make your own homemade Turkish delight but it does require a bit of patience as it requires long slow cooking with frequent stirring. Your efforts are rewarded with a delicious sweet treat.
Turkish delight is served alongside coffee or tea in Middle Eastern households try it as a tasty alternative to a biscuit or cookie. Growing up we always had a box of Turkish delight every Christmas, it was my mother's favourite treat alongside dates in a box with a plastic stem that doubled up as a prong to pick up the dates.
I must confess back then I wasn't a fan (which probably pleased my mum as it left more for her!) But as with many foods my tastes have changed over the years and I now love it, although I've never come to like the rose flavour. My favourite flavours are mint, lemon or vanilla with pistachio nuts.
Today I sometimes serve with coffee at the end of a special meal or just treat myself to a cube or two as a snack at any time. It also makes a fabulous foodie gift for friends.
Variations
I've chosen the classic rose flavour Turkish delight for this recipe but you can easily change the flavour to suit your own tastes. The possibilities are endless orange flower water or citrus flavours are also traditional as are oils flavoured with cinnamon or peppermint which are sometimes used as an alternative to rosewater.
You can also flavour with fruit extracts such as raspberry. Nuts can be added at the same stage you add the flavour as well as a suitable food colouring.
Suitable for Vegans
Unlike some jelly sweets Turkish delight is not usually made with gelatine, so it is suitable for vegetarians and vegans but it is worth noting that some commercial brands do use gelatine, so the best way to guarantee that it is suitable for vegans is to make your own.
Cooking the Turkish delight
It is made by combining sugar syrup with a cornflower mixture which is then cooked together very slowly until it forms a dense sticky Jelly.
When combining the sugar syrup with the cornflower mixture this should be added slowly to avoid any lumps. Add the syrup in small quantities and beat well until completely smooth. You can do this beating with a wooden spoon but you may find it easier to use a balloon whisk at this stage. Do not be tempted to rush this step.
Combine water and cornflour. Cook to form a thick paste. Make a syrup and boil until it reaches 115℃ (239°F). Gradually beat the hot sugar syrup into the cornflour mix.
Once combined the mixture is then boiled very gently until the mixture forms a very thick jelly and turns a golden amber colour. This will take at least an hour and here is where you will need to be patient.
You cannot just leave and forget about it as during this time you will have to stir frequently particularly towards the end and always taking care to make sure you get right into the corners of the pain. Many recipes suggest that it should be stirred continuously. While I have not found that strictly necessary I really do mean frequently every minute or two.
I find it best to use a wooden spoon at this stage as I find the balloon whisk does not get right into the corners and it is here that the mixture will tend to burn.
Cook until golden then add flavouring and colour. Pour into tin and allow to set.
Once cooked the Turkish delight is then flavoured and a little food colouring can be added at this stage too. It is then poured into a tin and allowed to set for at least 6 hours or up to 24 before cutting into squares and dusting with an icing sugar and cornflour mixture to prevent them from sticking together.
Allow to set before turning out. Dust with cornflour and icing sugar and cut into squares.
How to store
Once cut into squares and dusted with the icing sugar mixture I find it is best to leave them out to dry for 24 hours before packing into a loosely covered container at cool room temperature. Airtight containers are not the best as Turkish delight tends to sweat. It will keep for up to a month.
More confectionary you might like to make
Homemade Turkish Delight (Lokum)
Equipment
- 18cm square cake tin
- non stick baking parchment
- 2 large saucepans
- sugar thermometer
Ingredients
- a little vegetable oil for greasing
- 1 litre (1¾pts) water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 800 g (1lb 12oz) granulated sugar
- 125 g (4oz) cornflour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1–2 tablespoon rose water
- few drops pink food colouring
To complete
- 50 g (2oz) icing sugar
- 15 g (½oz) cornflour
Instructions
- Line a 18cm (7in) square pan with non stick baking parchment and oil the paper.
- Place 500ml (18floz) water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 800h (1lb 12oz) sugar in a heavy based saucepan and bring gently to the boil, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Once all the sugar has dissolved increase the heat, cover the pan with a lid and allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute.
- Remove the lid. Continue to boil the syrup without stirring until the temperature reaches 115°C (139°F). Remove from the heat and set to one side.
- Place 125g (4oz) cornflour and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar in a large saucepan and gradually stir in 500ml (18floz) water a little at a time. Once the cornflour and water have been combined, cook gently stirring with a wooden spoon all the time until the mixture forms a very thick gluey paste.
- Remove from the heat and gradually beat in the sugar syrup a little at a time, beating well until smooth after each addition. Do not rush this step.
- Return to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring well, then reduce the heat and simmer very very gently for about 1 hour, stirring frequently. Make sure you get into the corners of the pan so that the mixture doesn’t catch. The mixture will turn a golden amber colour when it is cooked sufficiently.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1-2 tablespoon rose water and a few drops of pink food colour. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and allow to set for at least 6 hours.
To complete
- Sift 50g (2oz) icing sugar and 15g (½oz) cornflour together into a bowl. Then sift a little of sugar and cornflour mixture over the set Turkish delight.
- Turn out onto a sheet of baking parchmentand dust with more icing sugar mixture. Cut into squares using a lightly oiled knife.
- Drop the squares a few at a time into the remaining icing sugar mixture and toss to coat well.
Notes
- It is important not to rush adding the sugar syrup to the cornflour mixture as any lumps that you allow to form at this stage will be impossible to remove from the Turkish delight mixture.
- Very frequent stirring is essential during while cooking the Turkish Delight.
- Store in a covered container in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.
- Do not freeze.
I'm linking this post to #CookBlogShare hosted at A strong Coffee
Chris Williams
I followe the recipe to the letter, it took the required 1.5 hours but at the end my mixture was so thick I had to spoon it into the tin. and then could not achieve a smooth surface. It was almost set at that point. Now 24 hours later it tastes fine (using 3/4 tsp rose essence) but is a very firm jelly. Where did I go wrong?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I'm sorry it didn't turn out as smooth as you would have liked but glad that it tasted good. It sounds to me like you just cooked it a little too long. The recipes says to cook for about 1 hour (although exactly how long it takes to turn apple golden will vary from cook to cook) so if you cooked yours for 1½ hours that is likely the cause. I would suggest next time you don't cook it as long.
Jennian
Can rose extract be substituted for 2tbsp rose water and still taste traditional? If so, how much should be used? Thank you! My husband loves these and I'm hoping to surprise him with some homemade fr the holidays.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I can not see why you couldn't use extract as I often use orange or lemon extract in mine. Personally I'm not a fan of rose Turkish Delight. But I am sorry but I can not tell you how much to use as I have not tested it but I would imagine only a ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
Sammy
This looks so amazing, thanks so much for sharing. Quick question, in step 6 you mention stirring frequently, does this mean stirring all of the time without leaving the pan or just intermittently? Sorry if this seems like a silly question ☺️ x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Not a silly question at all. Stirring frequently means that you do not have to stir continuously however you certainly can leave the room and go do something else but you might be able to start to tidy up,put the odd thing away or wipe down a surface etc between stirring. The later in the cooking process the more frequently you will need to stir . Hope this helps
Sammy
Thank you so much, that’s really helpful x
Saffi
Amazing. Can't wait to.try. can you coat in chocolate?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I have not tried dipping them in chocolate but I don't see why you couldn't. But you would need to make sure it has dried sufficiently as any moisture would cause the chocolate to sieze. If you give it a go do let me know how you get on.
Lupita Vidajic
The recipe seems wonderful. If I wanted to add strawberry extract instead of rose water, how much should I add? I know that extracts are stronger in flavor and it's easy to overdo it.
Thanks on advance!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I would add ½ tsp.
Heather Johnstone
I'd love to try making Turkish delight. Can you use other flavours besides rose water?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
You can indeed vary the flavour you add, see variations in the post above.I like mint as well as vanilla with the addion on pistachios
Charlene Miller
If you were making the orange or vanilla flavors, how much of them would you add (the same 2 Tablespoons as the rose water)?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
It will depend a little on the quality of the flavourings you were using. Extracts are much more concentrated than the rose water so I would used 1 tsp.
Chloe Edges
Looks fab, its never even occurred to me to home make Turkish delight before!
Louise Fairweather
This looks amazing. What a great gift. Thanks for sharing #cookblogshare
Janice
Turkish Delight takes me right back to Christmas with my grandfather. He loved it and we always made sure he had a box to enjoy. I'm pretty fond of it myself now, especially homemade or the real high-quality kind.
Rebecca - Glutarama
I've always been worried that Turkish Delight is difficult to make but your simple step-by-step instructions have encouraged me to give it a go ... I am a HUGE fan of Turkish Delight after all.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
So long as you dont rush it, it really is quite simple to make.
Angela Hook
The recipe worked a dream, and is absolutely delicious! Will definitely be making more to give as Christmas presents! Thank you
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Thanks Angela I'm sure you will have some very happy friends there is something rather special about Homemade Turkish Delight.
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
This looks beautiful and such a pretty colour!
Helen @ family-friends-food.com
That looks amazing! I would never have thought that Turkish delight was something that could be made at home. Thanks for sharing! #cookblogshare