Authentic Turkish Delight Recipe from Narnia

Tap an ingredient or step to check it off.

1. 1Step 1: Add the sugar, citric acid, and water into a heavy-bottomed pan and mix until the sugar dissolves.
2. 2Step 2: Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat, then lower the heat down to a simmer and wait until the syrup reaches 250°F (hard ball stage). Make sure to adjust this temperature for your kitchen's altitude and observe the pan closely—a clipped candy thermometer will give the most reliable results. This should take 15-30 minutes depending on your stove's heat output.
3. 3Step 3: Meanwhile, prepare the cornstarch mixture by adding cornstarch and water to a jar. Close the lid and shake vigorously until there are no visible lumps of starch. Alternatively, thoroughly mix in a separate bowl.
4. 4Step 4: Once the syrup reaches 250°F, turn off the heat and gradually add the just-shaken cornstarch mix into the pan, whisking continuously.
5. 5Step 5: When all the cornstarch is incorporated, turn the heat on to medium-low and continue whisking until gelation. It should only take a few minutes for the mixture to thicken.
6. 6Step 6: Once it’s thickened, put the heat on low to simmer, and make sure to mix it about every 6-7 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Be careful as the thickened mixture may splatter. Continue this process for 1-2 hours.
7. 7Step 7: Prepare a mold by spreading a small amount of neutral oil into a container.
8. 8Step 8: To judge whether the mixture is done cooking, look for a relatively thick—but not gloopy—texture and a medium-dark shade of amber. Around the 1, 1 1/2-hour mark, the mixture is usually very close to being done. This timeframe will depend on a variety of factors such as pan width & material, changing the ingredient amounts to make more/less lokum, and the burner's heat output. It can go up to 2 hours+, so make sure to judge by texture and color. At this final stage, you may also have to start stirring more frequently, about every 2 minutes.
9. 9Step 9: When the Turkish delight is done cooking, turn off the heat, and add the rosewater and food coloring. Mix, pour into the container, and set aside at room temperature for at least 5 hours—preferably a full day especially if you’re somewhere hot and humid.
10. 10Step 10: The next day, sprinkle cornstarch into the container then cut out a strip from the edge so that you can remove the entire slab. Sprinkle with more cornstarch, then cut into cubes.
11. 11Step 11: Once they are cut, dredge the cubes in a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar.
12. 12Step 12: To maximize the experience, serve with Turkish coffee and water on the side, which is the most common way people consume it in Turkey. Sandwiching the lokum between plain biscuits like Biscoff (or Petibör in Turkey) is really popular as well. These also make a great gift for Christmas. Enjoy!