A one-of-a-kind Turkish confection, the Turkish Delight is a sweet and sticky treat bound together by a gel of starch and sugar, typically flavoured with rosewater. Here, we recreate this unique treat, together with some basic ingredients you can easily find in your kitchen. With a few drops of food colouring, nobody can resist this divine dessert, aptly called a ‘delight’!
Ingredients
- 3 level tbsps gelatin
- ¼ cup (60 ml) boiling water
- 3 cups (660 g) caster sugar
- 2 cups (500ml) warm water
- ¾ cup (110 g) wheaten corn flour
- 2 tbsps glucose syrup
- 50 ml bottle rosewater essence
- Few drops red food colouring
- 1 cup (160 g) icing sugar mixture
Steps
Lightly oil a deep 19 cm square cake pan; line base with baking paper.
Sprinkle gelatin over boiling water in a small jug; stand jug in a small pan of simmering water. Stir until gelatin dissolves.
Combine sugar with ¾ cup of the warm water in a medium saucepan. Stir over a low heat, until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Boil, without stirring, until temperature reaches 116 C (soft boil) on a candy thermometer. Simmer at 116 C for 5 mins, without stirring, regulating heat to maintain temperature at 116 C. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, combine remaining warm water and corn flour in a medium saucepan; whisk until smooth. Place over heat on the stove. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Gradually whisk sugar syrup, gelatin mixture and glucose into corn flour mixture. Bring to the boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring, 10 mins, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat; stir in rosewater. Add food colouring, 1 drop at a time, until desired colour is achieved.
Strain mixture through fine sieve into prepared cake pan; skim any scum from surface. Stand 15 mins. Cover surface with lightly oiled baking paper; stand at room temperature overnight.
Turn turkish delight onto a board dusted heavily with icing sugar mixture; remove baking paper. Using a knife dipped in icing sugar between cuts, slice into 36 squares. Roll squares in icing sugar.