Lokum (Turkish Delight)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs
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Servings
25 Turkish delights
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Course
Dessert
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern, Turkish, Vegan
Lokum (Turkish Delight)
Description
Lokum (Turkish Delight) melds a sugary gel base with citrusy lemon juice and floral waters to achieve its delicate sweetness and fragrance. The recipe begins with dissolving and boiling sugar syrup, then thickening it with cornstarch to form a soft jelly. Roasted pistachios and hazelnuts incorporated into the mixture provide a contrasting crunch. The gel is poured into oiled, cornstarch-lined molds to set and is later dusted with a cornstarch and icing sugar blend to maintain its characteristic soft, slightly chewy texture without sticking. The vivid liquid colorings add traditional visual appeal but are softened by the coating.
The finishing product can be sliced into bite-size pieces and served neat or alongside tea as a sweet treat. The lightly nutty flavor enhances the aromatic floral notes from the orange blossom and rose waters.
A tip to keep in mind: using generous amounts of food coloring is recommended since the powdered sugar-cornstarch coating will dilute the color intensity on the final pieces.
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 1¼ cup cornstarch
- 2¼ cups water , divided
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup pistachio
- ¾ cup hazelnut
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- Liquid food coloring
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup icing sugar
Equipment
- Square cake mold (6 inches / 15 cm)
Instructions
- Before embarking on the preparation of the dough itself, line two 6-inch (15 cm) square molds or boxes with parchment paper (or wax paper). In order for the paper to adhere better to the sides, brush lightly with oil. Spread cornstarch at the bottom of each mold or box lined with parchment paper.
- Dry roast the pistachios for a few minutes in a hot pan. Put aside and then repeat the process for the hazelnuts.
- Bring 1 cup (250 ml) of water to a boil, add the sugar and lemon juice. Then reduce heat to medium while maintaining a constant boiling. A foam should form. Continue cooking until the sugar mixture reduces and thickens but before it changes to a caramel color.
- Check that the sugar syrup is ready by scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula. The syrup should not cover the bottom of the pan back too quickly as it should not be too liquid.
- In a bowl, mix the corn starch with 1¼ cup (300 ml) of cold water and stir well to completely dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Then add this mixture to the syrup prepared above. Reduce heat to low and stir constantly. The mixture will slowly thicken and become more difficult to mix.
- The preparation is ready when it is completely detached from the bottom of the pan. It can take between an hour and an hour and a half. Divide dough into two equal parts.
- In the first, add a tablespoon of orange blossom water, the roasted pistachios and desired coloring and stir well.
- In the second, add a tablespoon of rosewater, roasted hazelnuts and desired coloring and mix well.
- Divide each dough into the previously prepared molds or boxes and smooth the surface as much as possible.
- Cover with aluminum foil (without it being in contact with the dough) and allow to dry for 24 hours.
- Turn the dough over and cut into squares with a large smooth knife. To facilitate cutting, coat the knife with oil with a brush before each slicing.
- In a deep dish, combine the cups of icing sugar and cornstarch and mix well. Roll each cut square in this mixture once, then again. You can also put the sugar and cornstarch mixture in a freezer bag and add the squares of Turkish delights in small quantities and mix well to coat completely.
- Turkish delights will stay perfectly fresh for several weeks at room temperature in a metal box.
Notes
- Use ample liquid food coloring because the coating with icing sugar and cornstarch will fade the colors considerably.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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