Really Easy Turkish Delight Recipe

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(This post has been updated from the original April 2012 version to provide a better experience for you)

If you’re looking for an easy Turkish delight recipe, you’re in the right place! Yielding a beautifully soft texture with a gorgeous, delicate rose flavour, this recipe has a non traditional twist that makes it quicker and easier to make. Read on for the full recipe, lots of helpful tips (including how to stop it sweating!) and more…

I first made this recipe back in 2012 as a homemade Father’s Day gift for my Dad. Turkish delight is one of his all time favourite treats! I did run into a pretty major problem though…

After a while, Turkish delight begins to sweat/seep water. It’s been a head scratcher figuring out how to prevent this from happening but I think I’ve finally done it! Check out the Turkish delight storage tips section towards the end of this post to see how.

What does Turkish delight taste like?

Turkish delight has a very soft gel like texture with a delicate rose water flavour. There are other flavours of course but the traditional one is rose. It’s quite a subtle floral flavour but very unique.

Are Turkish delights healthy?

Absolutely not! Turkish delight is filled with bucket loads of sugar and then rolled in yet more sugar for storage. It’s definitely a treat, not a healthy snack!

What is traditional Turkish delight made of?

Traditional Turkish delight is made using water, cornflour, lemon juice, sugar, rosewater and a little colouring. It takes quite a long time to make.

Does Turkish delight have gelatine?

Traditional Turkish delight does not have gelatine. It’s set using only cornflour but takes a long time to make as a result. It’s worth pointing out that this recipe is not a traditional one. It adds gelatine to speed up the process, making it quicker and easier.

Turkish delight ingredients

Here is everything you need to know about the ingredients needed for this recipe…

• Sugar – Caster sugar only here! If you use golden caster or brown sugar it will make it too dark so you won’t get that delicate pink colour.
• Lemon – None of that bottled stuff please! Only freshly squeezed lemon juice in Turkish delight.
• Cornflour – Used to thicken the mixture, you need to use cornflour (cornstarch in the US).
• Xanthan Gum – Helps to stabilise the sweating slightly afterwards.
• Gelatine – Use gelatine powder as a non traditional cheat to set your Turkish delight quicker and easier.
• Rose Water – The key flavour! It’s best not to substitute this and get the real deal.
• Food Colouring – Using red colouring is easiest to achieve a delicate pink finish.
• Icing Sugar – Any brand will do, just make sure you sift it first.

 

How do you make Turkish delight?

1. Bring sugar, lemon juice and water to the boil in a large saucepan.
2. Mix together cornflour, xanthan gum, gelatine and more water in a jug.
3. Add this to the pan then stir to dissolve the gelatine.
4. Bring to the boil, stirring often, then simmer until it becomes very thick, glossy and like wallpaper paste.
5. Allow to cool in the pan for 20-25 minutes then add the rosewater and colouring.
6. Lightly oil a square silicone pan and coat in cornflour.
7. Pour the Turkish delight into the pan and set overnight. 
8. Slice into cubes then leave to sweat at room temperature for 24 hours.
9. Coat in cornflour and leave until a crust forms.
10. Roll in icing sugar then store in a metal tin lined with baking paper and icing sugar.
11. Top with plenty more icing sugar and store in a cool dry place.

 

Helpful Turkish delight recipe tips

• Always add water to corn flour and not the other way around. It mixes SO much easier!
• Make your Turkish delight a slightly darker colour than you want the end product to appear. It lightens slightly once set.
• Do add your colouring a little at a time though. You can always add more but you can’t take it out!
• If you’re knife is sticking when slicing up the Turkish delight, you can coat it carefully in a little oil.
• Store your Turkish delight in a metal container as sugar has a tendency to sweat when stored in plastic.
• Is your Turkish delight leaking water after setting? See the ‘how do you stop Turkish delight sweating?’ section towards the end of the post for the fix.

 

Other recipes you might like

• Microwave caramels
• Easy lemon fudge
• Bonfire toffee
• Easy homemade chocolates

 

Simple Turkish Delight Recipe

Here is what you will need to make approx 36 cubes.

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

 

PLEASE READ THE WHOLE RECIPE BEFORE BEGINNING 

This will take a few days to make – see the ‘how do you stop Turkish delight from sweating?’ section below to explain why.

 

• 375g (1 + 3/4 Cups + 2 tbsp) Caster/Superfine Sugar
• 1 x Lemon, juice only
• 75g (1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp) Cornflour/Cornstarch, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 25g (3 tbsp) Gelatine Powder
• 2 tbsp Rose Water
• Red Food Colouring
• 200g (1 + 1/2 Cup) Icing Sugar, for dusting/storage

 

Essential Equipment

• Large Saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• Jug
• 20cm (8″) /Silicone Pan *

 

*if you don’t have a silicone pan, line a normal baking tin with baking paper and grease/cornflour as per the recipe.

 

First add 300ml (1 + 1/4 Cups) of water, the sugar (375g | 1 + 3/4 Cups + 2 tbsp) and the lemon juice (of x 1 lemon) into your saucepan and set it over a low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved.

Now increase the heat a little and bring it up to the boil. Meanwhile, add the cornflour (75g | 1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp) and xanthan gum (1/2 tsp) into a jug and pour over 200ml (3/4 Cup + 1 tbsp) of water. Stir until the cornflour has dissolved.

Sprinkle the gelatine powder (25g | 3 tbsp) over the top then stir into the liquid.

By now the sugar mixture should be boiling…

So pour the cornflour liquid into the pan and stir continuously until the gelatine has dissolved.

Now bring the mixture up to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring often, until it becomes very thick, glossy and wallpaper paste like.

Then remove from the heat and allow to cool for 20-25 minutes, stirring every now and then to release trapped heat.

Once cooled, add the rosewater (2 tbsp) and a little red food colouring at a time, until you get a dark pink colour. Don’t worry – it will lighten once it’s set.

To prepare your pan, lightly oil the base and sides then dust with cornflour and tap out any excess. If you’re using a normal baking pan, line with baking paper first then oil and dust with cornflour.

Pour your Turkish delight into the prepared tin and smooth out as best as you can. Leave to set overnight at room temperature then see below for how to store and prevent it from sweating.

Turkish delight storage tips

There are more issues than you’d think when it comes to storing Turkish delight. Temperature is key, allowing enough time for it to sweat naturally and applying each coating in the right order will serve you well. Here are some useful tips to help…

 

How do you stop Turkish delight from sweating?

This was a tricky one but I think I’ve sussed it!

Once made, allow your Turkish delight to set in the pan overnight at room temperature.

In the morning, remove it from the pan and slice into cubes. Space them out on a chopping board and leave to sweat at room temperature for 24 hours. 

Now coat each cube in a layer of cornflour and leave at room temperature to cure. It will take at least a few hours and should form a dull crust around each cube.

If, during this process, you notice any cubes still seeping water – simply roll them in more cornflour and leave to cure again until a crust forms. 

Once all your cubes are completely covered in a cornflour crust, roll them carefully in plenty of icing sugar.

What is the best way to store Turkish delight?

The best way to store homemade Turkish delight is in a metal tin (not plastic as that will make them sweat more) that has been lined with baking paper and a generous layer of icing sugar.

Carefully place each cube onto the icing sugar spaced apart then top with another generous coating of icing sugar.

Now this bit is very important – keep your Turkish delight in a cool dry place. Not on the kitchen side, not in the fridge and definitely not anywhere near sunlight or radiators. I’m thinking more like a pantry or a place that stays cool all year round, even when the heating gets switched on. (Yep, simply switching on the heating will make it sweat again!) 

If you’ve followed each step to the letter, your homemade Turkish delight should last up to 1 week. 

Can you store Turkish delight in the fridge?

Turkish delight hates temperature change. Plus, refrigeration draws moisture out of food which will only make them sweat more. I strongly advise you do not store your Turkish delight in the fridge. Instead, store in a cool place away from sunlight and/or radiators.

Have you made this recipe?

Have you tried this beautiful tzatziki recipe? I’d love to know if you have! Send me your pics, comments and questions on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram or email me at emma@kitchenmason.com.

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