Turkish Delight (Lokum) Recipe – Turkey Special
Turkish delight, known as lokum, is a traditional sweet treat originating from Turkey. It is crafted from starch and sugar, often infused with flavors and adorned with almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios.
- Prep Time30 min
- Cook Time1 hr 30 min
- Total Time2 hr
Turkish Delight Ingredients :
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups cornstarch
- 2 1/4 cups water, divided
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup pistachios
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- Liquid food coloring
- 1 cup cornstarch (for dusting)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
How to Make Turkish Delight
Before starting the dough preparation, line two 6-inch (15 cm) square molds or boxes with parchment paper, lightly brushing the paper with oil to help it adhere. Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the bottom of each lined mold or box.
Dry roast the pistachios in a hot pan for a few minutes, set aside, and repeat the process with the hazelnuts.
Bring 1 cup (250 ml) of water to a boil, then add the sugar and lemon juice. Reduce heat to medium and allow the mixture to boil steadily. A foam will form on top. Cook until the sugar mixture thickens, ensuring it does not turn caramel in color.
To test if the sugar syrup is ready, scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula. The syrup should not flow back too quickly, indicating it should not be too liquid.
In a bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of cold water, ensuring there are no lumps. Gradually add this mixture to the prepared syrup while stirring constantly over low heat. The mixture will thicken slowly and become more difficult to stir
The mixture is ready when it cleanly pulls away from the sides and bottom of the pan, which may take between one to one and a half hours. Divide the dough into two equal portions
In one portion, mix in orange blossom water, roasted pistachios, and desired food coloring, stirring thoroughly.
In the other portion, mix in rose water, roasted hazelnuts, and desired food coloring, ensuring an even distribution
Divide each flavored dough into the prepared molds or boxes, smoothing the surface as much as possible
Cover each mold loosely with aluminum foil (without touching the dough) and allow to dry for 24 hours
Invert the set dough and cut into squares using a large, smooth knife. To ease cutting, lightly oil the knife blade before each slice
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 can maintain their freshness for several weeks when stored at room temperature in a metal box.
