A confectionary classic dating back centuries, Turkish Delight (Lokum) is a chewy, aromatic treat that melts in your mouth. Traditionally made with sugar, cornstarch, and infused with flavors like rose, lemon, or pistachio, it’s often dusted with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
This delicacy pairs beautifully with a strong cup of coffee or tea, making it a delightful snack or gift for special occasions. Whether enjoyed as a winter comfort or a refreshing summer sweet, Turkish Delight is a timeless indulgence that brings a taste of the exotic to every bite.
Ingredients
Method
- Oil the tin, line it with cling film and oil the film.
- Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes (sprinkle powder over 4 tbsp cold water instead).
- Stir the cornstarch into 50 ml of the water until smooth.
- Put the rest of the water, the sugar, glucose and lemon juice in the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Whisk in the cornstarch mixture quickly and cook for 2 minutes, whisking all the time, until thick and glossy.
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the squeezed gelatine (or the soaked powder) until dissolved.
- Stir in the rose water, taste and add more a teaspoon at a time if you want a stronger flavour.
- Pass the mixture through the sieve into the tin and smooth the top.
- Let it cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.
- For the shortbread, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then fold in the flour until the dough just comes together.
- Leave the dough to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to 5 mm thick and cut it into fingers or rounds.
- Bake on the lined tray for 12–15 minutes, until pale golden at the edges, and let it cool on the tray.
- For the gel, bring 225 g of the strawberry purée to a boil in the small saucepan.
- Whisk in the agar and boil for 1–2 minutes, whisking, so it dissolves completely.
- Pour it into the shallow dish and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes, until completely set.
- Blend the set gel with the remaining 25 g of purée until smooth and glossy, adding a spoonful of water if it is too thick, and fill the squeeze bottle.
- If you have no agar, simmer all the purée for 8–10 minutes until thick, and cool it instead.
- Lift the jelly out of the tin and cut it into 2.5 cm cubes with an oiled knife; dust them with icing sugar if you like.
- Arrange the jelly cubes and shortbread on plates with dots and swipes of strawberry gel.
- For Rose water jelly
- Mix 100g of water with the corn starch.
- Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water.
- Place remaining water, sugar, glucose, lemon juice, rose water in a pan and bring to the boil.
- Rapidly whisk in corn flower and cook for 2 mins.
- Whisk in gelatin and pass through a fine sieve and place in the fridge to set
- For SHORTBREAD
- Beat together butter and sugar until a pale cream like color
- Fold in flour
- Allow to rest at room temp for 15 mins
- Roll to desired shape and size and bake for 15mins at 190 oC
- For STRAWBERRY FLUID GEL
- In a pan bring 900g puree to the boil
- Once boiling rapidly whisk in the agar agar and return to the boil
- Completely set in the fridge
- Then blend smooth adding the remaining puree as necessary to obtain the desired consistency
What we changed for home
- Jelly cut to a third of the batch and set in a 15 × 15 cm (6 in) tin The chef's 2 kg or so of jelly fills a restaurant tray; eight plates need about 700 g.
- Rose water cut to 2 tablespoons to start, then added to taste Rose waters vary a lot in strength. The chef's share, about a tenth of the jelly, can taste soapy with a strong brand, so add the rest only after tasting.
- Liquid glucose can be light corn syrup Liquid glucose is sold in baking aisles in Europe; corn syrup does the same job of keeping the jelly smooth.
- Strawberry gel cut from 1 kg to 250 g of purée, with agar at about 1% instead of 1.6% The chef's gel sets very stiff and is then thinned with extra purée. At 1% a small batch blends to a smooth, spoonable gel with less adjusting.
- If you cannot find agar, simmer the purée into a thick coulis instead Agar powder is sold in Asian shops and health-food stores, but not everywhere.
- Shortbread baked at 180°C (350°F) for 12–15 minutes instead of 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes Thin shortbread browns at the edges before the middle is baked at the higher heat; it should stay pale.
The dish in the photograph was cooked by the restaurant for this story. Photo: Oleksandr Slyadnyev.
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