What Is Turkish Delight And Where Does It Come From? (2024)

Despite having roots in the Ottoman empire and being one of the oldest sweet treats known to man, Turkish delight is still relatively new to many people. 2005 saw a sudden surge in the sale of Turkish delight thanks to the release of the film adaptation of C.S Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, but many people are still unaware of its true origins.

What Is Turkish Delight?

What Is Turkish Delight And Where Does It Come From? (1)

Turkish delight comes in many shapes and sizes, but all are connected by a gel made from corn starch and sugar. Basic varieties of Turkish delight are entirely gel-based with added flavorings such as rose water or lemon, while more extravagant and luxurious forms of Turkish delight feature dried fruit and nuts.

Is Turkish Delight From Turkey?

What Is Turkish Delight And Where Does It Come From? (2)

Turkish delight has a very long history, dating back more than 500 years to the Ottoman Empire. There are several different legends about its origin, the most famous of which being that it was created by a Sultan looking for a way to woo his mistresses. Although this legend definitely makes for a good story, Turkish delight was actually invented by a confectioner named Bekir Effendi. Bekir grew up in a small town called Kastamonu in the mountains of Anatolia, modern-day Turkey. He set up a sweet shop in 1776, selling all manner of delicious sweet treats, including Turkish delight. Delicately wrapped in lace handkerchiefs, Bekir’s Turkish delight soon became a favorite amongst socialites and the royal court, taking Turkish delight from a common sweet treat to a revered dessert in the highest of elite circles.

What Is Lokum?

Lokum is the Turkish name for Turkish delight. The word has its roots in the Arabic al-lukum, which can be translated to mean morsel or mouthful. Turkish delights are also sometimes called rahat-ul hulküm, which can be translated to mean ‘throat comfort’. Depending on where you are in the world, it’s not uncommon to see Turkish delight being sold under these names.

How Is Turkish Delight Made?

What Is Turkish Delight And Where Does It Come From? (3)

Traditional Turkish delight is made by arduously boiling cornstarch and sugar over low heat for many hours until it forms a dense jelly-like texture. This jelly can then be flavored or added to dried fruits and nuts to create decadent Turkish delight sweets. Although Turkish delight is relatively easy to make, it does take a lot of time to perfect. For this reason, today, some manufacturers use gelatine to speed up the production process. The use of gelatine to create Turkish delight means that not all Turkish delight sweets are now vegan.

Sign up to get email updates

What Is Turkish Delight And Where Does It Come From? (2024)

FAQs

What is Turkish delight called in the USA? ›

In most of the world, "Aplets & Cotlets" were based on a treat called lokum, a word derived from Arabic, but the British and Americans know it as "Turkish delight."

What is traditional Turkish delight made of? ›

Turkish delight, or lokum (/lɔ. kʊm/) is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often flavored with rosewater, mastic gum, bergamot orange, or lemon.

What is the origin of Turkish delight? ›

Nevertheless, the history indicates that it was Haci Bekir Effendi who first developed Turkish delights as we know today. In 1777, Haci Bekir Effendi migrated to Istanbul and opened his own confectionery shop where he sold Turkish delights for more than two centuries.

Why is Turkish delight healthy? ›

Nuts and Fruits: Varieties of Turkish Delight that contain nuts or fruits can offer some nutritional benefits, such as vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, particularly from nuts like pistachios or walnuts.

What is the most popular Turkish delight flavor? ›

The list of the most popular flavors of Turkish delights, is topped by the pistachio Turkish delight. The reason behind its immense popularity among Middle Eastern desserts is due to the combination of crunchy, sweet and chewy texture of traditional Turkish delights with premium pistachios all the way from Turkey!

Why is Turkish delight expensive? ›

Our Turkish Delight Comes From Istanbul

Our Turkish delight may not be the cheapest on the internet, but when it comes to Turkish delight, you get what you pay for. Making delicious, authentic Turkish delight is a labor of love and a lot of time and effort goes into each batch.

Is Turkish delight full of sugar? ›

Turkish Delight, also known as Lokum, is a popular confectionery originating from Turkey. In simple words, it is a jelly-like soft nougat bar mainly made from starch and sugar and typically flavoured with rosewater, lemon, or other fruit flavours.

Do you refrigerate Turkish delight? ›

Although it's important to keep your Turkish delight cool, don't store it in the fridge. Your refrigerator will draw more moisture out of your Turkish delight, causing it to sweat even after it has stabilized at room temperature. Turkish delight is best stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.

What does authentic Turkish delight taste like? ›

What does Turkish delight taste like? This traditional treat comes in a huge variety of delicious flavours. Whether you adore pomegranate, pistachio, or mint, you can get your hands on a wonderful range of fruit, nut, and herb-based aromas. The most popular flavour is rosewater.

What is the famous brand of Turkish delight? ›

Established in 1777, Haci Bekir is one of the oldest and most respected Turkish delight brands. The company was founded by Haci Bekir Efendi, who brought a new approach to the production of Turkish delight by introducing a softer, smoother texture to the confectionery.

What is another name for Turkish delight? ›

Turkish Delight, also known as Lokum, is a delicately flavored, fragrant, chewy jelly candy that has been a hallmark of my homeland, Turkey, since Ottoman times.

What is the oldest brand of Turkish delight? ›

As the oldest company in Turkey and one of the oldest 100 in the world, Hacı Bekir still continues to create the world's most delicious, top quality confections.

Why is Turkish Delight good for kidneys? ›

Due to the fact that Turkish Delight is a carbohydrate source, doctors actually recommend that kidney patients eat this tasty treat. It has also been known to help acne, boils & scars. The chewy textures help to strengthen the teeth and reduce tonsillitis.

How much sugar is in a piece of Turkish Delight? ›

Region: US
ServingIngredientCalories
3.01 gramssugar12
1.73 gramscornstarch7
3.39 gramswater0
0.27 gramlemon juice0
3 more rows
Feb 7, 2019

What does cream of tartar do in Turkish Delight? ›

Cream of tartar: used as an acid to help with taste and texture. Flaked salt: This will help heighten the flavour, although you can leave it out if you prefer a low salt diet. Caster Sugar: This is fine sugar; it works best for this recipe because it dissolves better without making too many bubbles.

What's another name for Turkish delight? ›

Turkish Delight, also known as Lokum, is a delicately flavored, fragrant, chewy jelly candy that has been a hallmark of my homeland, Turkey, since Ottoman times.

Is Big Turk the same as Turkish delight? ›

Big Turk is a candy bar manufactured by Nestlé in Canada, that consists of dark magenta Turkish delight coated in a chocolate coating.

Is baklava Turkish delight? ›

Baklava is the quintessential Turkish treat, invented in the kitchens of the Topkapı Palace for the enjoyment of sultans. Layers of flaky dough separated by melted butter are filled with crushed nuts and baked, then drenched in honey or syrup.

What Greek sweet is like Turkish delight? ›

Loukoumi is a jelly like candy traditionally flavored with rose or mastic- rose is my favorite flavor! Originally a Turkish confection, it's been adopted by Greeks as their own. You can find varieties with mixed nuts, almonds or pistachios but I've always been told those are more Turkish recipes than Greek.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Errol Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 5956

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Errol Quitzon

Birthday: 1993-04-02

Address: 70604 Haley Lane, Port Weldonside, TN 99233-0942

Phone: +9665282866296

Job: Product Retail Agent

Hobby: Computer programming, Horseback riding, Hooping, Dance, Ice skating, Backpacking, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.