How to Make Turkish Delight Worth Betraying Your Family For
I think I speak for many when I say that I became obsessed with this brightly coloured sweet after watching Edmund betray his family for it in the Chronicles of Narnia. Sitting in a beautiful tin, coated in icing sugar, with a snowy backdrop, I was always desperate for a piece when I was little. And, to be invited for fish and chips at Mr and Mrs Beaver’s house.
I felt betrayed myself, however, when I discovered that the shop bought version of Turkish wasn’t as magical as it appeared in the film – instead, it was soapy tasting and dry in texture.
The homemade type, however, is quite a different story. It’s wonderfully soft, like the version Edmund takes a satisfying bite out of, and less offensive in taste, since you have more control over how much rose flavouring you choose to put in.
Still, this treat is a divisive one – some absolutely love it, others absolutely hate it. And to make it is no straightforward task, so, I’ve answered some questions you might have before committing yourself to it:
Is Turkish Delight easy to make?
I’m not going to beat around the bush – making Turkish Delight isn’t simple or quick, but it’s a fun challenge with rewarding results. Preparation is really key here to make the process slightly easier. Clear away all worktop clutter [it might get a bit messy] and make sure you have all ingredients measured out and to hand – you don’t want to be hunting for the rest of the ingredients in your cupboards while your sugar syrup overcooks!
How does this set without gelatine?
Many versions, including the shop bought, contain gelatine, which is certainly quicker to make and a bit more foolproof, but the texture just doesn’t compare to the traditional method, which relies on a combined sugar syrup and corn flour mixture, thickened slowly over the heat. Even better still: without the gelatine, this version is vegan!
Do I need a sugar thermometer?
The sugar syrup needs to reach the soft ball stage, which is possible to judge by eye, but some might find this quite intimidating. For peace of mind, I would recommend investing in a sugar thermometer as they can easily be found online and are very easy to use – make sure to buy one which clips to the pan so your hand isn’t stuck holding it up, at risk of being splattered with boiling hot sugar syrup!
Why double oil the pan?
This might seem a bit excessive, but Turkish Delight is pretty sticky, therefore it’s much easier to turn out when the baking paper is also coated in a little bit of oil.
How much extract should I use?
This is really down to personal preference. I wouldn’t add anymore than a teaspoon of rose extract, or a tablespoon of rose syrup, but you can adjust as you go.
How long does it take to set?
I would wait at least 24 hours for it to fully set. There’s nothing stopping you from tasting it a couple of hours after making it, but I would definitely hold off from coating it for as long as possible. Turkish Delight has a nasty habit of soaking up the cornflour and icing sugar and becoming wet, especially if it isn’t set properly.You’ll also want to avoid storing in an airtight container – ideally, it should be eaten freshly coated.
visual STEPS
Ironically, I’m not much of a Turkish Delight fan myself (I want to keep things as real as possible on the blog) but I continue to make it because my Mum is.
Eating the food you’ve spent hours making is the best thing in the world, but oddly, I still enjoy the process of baking things I don’t plan on eating myself.
Maybe it’s a sign of complete dedication to the craft, or just my love language, or maybe I’m just bonkers, but I’ll continue to bake, regardless!
So, whether you’re a Turkish Delight fan yourself, or you have a loved one you’d like to make it for, I hope you enjoy this one:
Turkish Delight
Equipment
- 2 large saucepans
- 20x20cm square cake tin
Ingredients
For the Turkish Delight
- vegetable oil to grease
- 800 g caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 120 g cornflour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon rose syrup or 1 teaspoon of rose extract [see notes]
- 2-3 drops red food colouring
For the Coating
- 160 g icing sugar sifted
- 30 g cornflour sifted
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 20 x 20cm square baking tin with the vegetable oil and line with an oiled piece of baking paper [see notes].
- Pour 375ml of water, the sugar, and lemon juice into a large saucepan and place over a high heat. Stir the mixture as you bring it to the boil.
- Once the mixture is boiling, continue to stir constantly until an inserted sugar thermometer reads 115℃ [the soft ball stage – see notes]. Remove the sugar thermometer from the heat and set aside for a moment.
- In another large saucepan, add 500ml of water, the cornflour, and the cream of tartar and place over a low heat. Whisk constantly until you achieve a lump free, thick, gluey paste [see photos].
- Remove from the heat and gradually add the sugar mixture to the cornflour paste [you might need a friend to help with this!] and whisk constantly until completely combined.
- Return the pan to a low heat and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes to prevent the mixture from catching.
- Once the mixture has reached a strong amber colour [see photos] add the rose extract and food colouring, and give it a good mix.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and allow to set for at least 24 hours – the longer, the better [see notes].
- Once the mixture has properly set, combine the icing sugar and cornflour for the coating in a large bowl. Clean a space on your kitchen worktop and dust over a generous amount of the mixture.
- Turn out the set Turkish Delight onto the dusted area and carefully peel off the baking paper. Using an oiled knife or pizza cutter, cut into small squares and toss each one in the coating mixture.
- The Turkish Delight is best enjoyed fresh and outside in the snow to transport you to Narnia [see notes on storage]
Notes
- Preparation is really key here. Clear away all worktop clutter [it might get a bit messy] and make sure you have all ingredients measured out and to hand – you don’t want to be hunting for the rest of the ingredients in your cupboards while your sugar syrup overcooks!
- How much extract you use is really down to personal preference, and you can add as you go along. I wouldn’t add anymore than a teaspoon of rose extract, or a tablespoon of rose syrup but this still depends on the kind you use, so adjust accordingly – less is always more in my opinion!
- Double oiling might seem a bit excessive, but Turkish Delight is pretty sticky, therefore it’s much easier to turn out when the baking paper is also coating in a little bit of oil.
- The sugar syrup needs to reach the soft ball stage, which is possible to judge by eye, but some might find this quite intimidating. For peace of mind, I would recommend investing in a sugar thermometer as they can easily be found online and are very easy to use – make sure to buy one which clips to the pan so your hand isn’t stuck holding it up, at risk of being splattered with boiling hot sugar syrup!
- I would wait at least 24 hours for the Turkish Delight to fully set. There’s nothing stopping you from tasting it a couple of hours after making it, but I would definitely hold off from coating it for as long as possible. Turkish Delight has a nasty habit of soaking up the cornflour and icing sugar and becoming wet, especially if it isn’t set properly.You’ll also want to avoid storing in an airtight container and in humid areas. Ideally, it should be eaten freshly coated, rather than stored away.
If you try out this new recipe, then please leave me a review down below. I always love hearing from readers, so if you have any questions or would simply like to connect, fill out the form on my contact page or message me through my social media accounts:
