Turkish delight, or lokum, is a sweet, soft jelly candy that is a classic Turkish treat originating from the Ottoman Empire. Made with sugar, starch, and a variety of flavorings like rosewater and pistachio, it’s dusted with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. This iconic treat has a delicate balance of sweetness and texture that is easier to make than you think with just a few simple ingredients.
What is Turkish Delight?
If you have never had Turkish delight, you are in for a treat! Also known as lokum in Turkey which means ‘morsel’ or ‘mouthful’, they are delightful (pun intended!) soft, candy-like squares. If you’ve ever strolled the streets of Istanbul, you’ll see these sold at local and more elaborate dessert shops like Hafiz Mustafa, displayed in large piles in all kinds of different flavours.
These jewel-like cubes are made from sugar, water, and starch, creating a soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth. Traditionally it’s flavoured with rosewater and pistachios as I’ve done here but other common ones are mastic, orange or lemon. A mixture of powdered sugar is dusted all over to keep the sometimes sticky candy separate.
Often served alongside tea, coffee and other sweets, it is a symbol of celebration and hospitality. It’s the perfect sweet treat to give in gift boxes to family and friends. Or try serving it alongside other sweet treats like my cardamom cookies, Turkish baklawa or crunchy luqaimat. You want to also consider the size of the Turkish delight. Cut them into small squares or rectangles, they are best to enjoy as a small bite rather than a large piece.
There are so many variations! Change up the flavouring by using vanilla extract, coconut or lemon. Try adding other nuts like walnut or almonds instead of pistachios or simply leave them out. You can also dust them with desiccated coconut instead of or alongside the powdered sugar mixture. Have fun with it!
Ingredients You Will Need to Make This Recipe
Most of these ingredients you will have in your pantry but lets go over a few of them that may not be as common.
- Cream of Tartar: the cream of tartar helps to prevent the sugar from crystallizing and maintain its jelly-like texture. A good substitute is citric acid but cream of tartar is still preferable.
- Gelatin: Gelatin is not a traditional ingredient, however it really helps to speed up the process and it ensures it will set easily, regardless of humidity or other outside factors. No need for a candy thermometer or anything fancy! You can choose to omit it but the cooking time will be longer.
- Food Colouring: I use a traditional red but the sky is the limit! Feel free to experiment with other colours. I also use the liquid version as it’s most readily available. If you use a powdered or gel food colouring you will need to adjust how much you use as they are more concentrated.
- Pistachios: I absolutely am obsessed with pistachios and really only enjoy Turkish delight when it has loads of pistachios. Feel free to use any combination of nuts that you like or even omit them for a nut-free option.
Day One of Making Turkish Delight
Candy making can be a little daunting but you do not need any fancy equipment or even a candy thermometer to make these, it does take some time though, so plan in advance.
Start by lining an 8 by 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Spray with a neutral flavoured oil spray to make sure it does not stick. Sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped pistachios.
Combine the 2/3 cup of water with the sugar and lemon juice. You want the sugar to completely dissolve and then cook on low heat for 20 minutes until nice and glossy and thickened.
Meanwhile, combine the 1 cup of water with the cornstarch, cream of tartar and gelatin. Mix well to fully combine and ensure there are no lumps.
Combine together the cornstarch mixture to the sugar mixture and start whisking. Be careful as the sugar syrup may bubble up, wear kitchen gloves just in case! Whisk every 5 minutes while it continues to cook on low heat for 20 minutes (30 minutes if you are not using gelatin).
The colour will change from a cloudy mixture to a more light golden brown glossy colour and it will become stretchy and thick. Make sure you are consistently whisking the mixture as you do not want any hard cooked bits to form as they will be unpleasant to eat.
Now you can add in your food colour along with the chopped pistachios or any other add-ins.
Mix well, pour into the prepared pan. Work quickly to smooth out the mixture before it starts to set. Press in the pistachios gently and carefully. Allow it to sit on the counter at room temperature uncovered. Do not refrigerate, that will cause condensation to form and will compromise the texture.
Day Two of Making Turkish Delight
The next day, combine the cornstarch and powdered sugar and dust a generous amount of the mixture over your work surface. Flip or lay out the Turkish delight onto your work surface.
Generously dust over the powdered sugar mixture. Lightly spray oil on a large sharp knife to prevent sticking. Cut into 36 square sized pieces. You can additionally place it into a bowl with the rest of the powdered sugar mixture and gently shake to fully coat the pieces.
Storage Instructions
Store the Turkish delights in an airtight container at room temperature with parchment paper between every layer. It will last for up to 1 month if stored correctly. You can also freeze the Turkish delight in an airtight container for a few months. Defrost at room temperature.
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Turkish Delight
Ingredients
For the Lokum
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 2/3 cup water 150ml
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2/3 cup cornstarch 100g
- 1 cup water 250ml
- 1/8th teaspoon cream of tartar or citric acid
- 3 tablespoons gelatin powder (if using) 25g
- 1 tablespoon rose water or other flavouring
- 2-6 drops liquid red food colouring adjust based on type of food colouring used
- 1 1/2 cups chopped unsalted pistachios (or other add-ins, omit if not using) 205g, divided
For Dusting
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar 25g
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare an 8 by 8 inch square pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with a neutral oil. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup of the chopped pistachios. Set aside.
![A metal square pan lined with light brown parchment paper with chopped pistachios on a soft pink background.]()
- In a small saucepan, pour the sugar, 2/3 cup water and lemon juice. Turn on the heat to medium low and allow the sugar to dissolve. When the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes until the mixture is glossy and has thickened. Low heat will help to evaporate the liquid without burning the sugar.
![Sugar syrup in a small light grey saucepan on a soft pink background.]()
- Meanwhile mix together the cornstarch, 1 cup of water, cream of tartar, and gelatin powder. If you are not using gelatin, leave it out. Whisk to get rid of any lumps and slowly start adding this mixture to the sugar pot while continuously whisking. Wear a kitchen glove at this step to prevent any splatter from getting on you. Continue to whisk occasionally on medium to low heat every 5 minutes for 20 minutes. If you are not using gelatin you will need to cook the mixture for longer, 30 to 35 minutes. Keep whisking consistently to prevent any lumps from forming. The cornstarch will first dissolve, then the mixture will turn almost transparent before turning a light golden brown colour. It will become stretchy, thick and gluey.
![Gelled medium brown mixture in a light grey small saucepan on a soft pink background.]()
- At this point you can test the consistency of the candy by dipping a spoonful in cold ice water. The candy should thicken and form a ball.
- Turn off the heat and add the rose water and red food colouring. Stir to combine. Add in 1/2 cup of the chopped pistachios and mix well. Pour the mixture in the prepared pan. Working quickly, spread and smooth out the mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of the chopped pistachios and quickly and carefully press them into the base to ensure they stick well. Keep uncovered on the counter at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
![Gelled red mixture mixed with chopped pistachios in a parchment paper lined square metal pan on a soft pink background.]()
- The next day, mix the powdered sugar and the cornstarch together in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixture evenly over a clean surface. Flip or place the Turkish delight on to it and remove the parchment or foil paper. Dust the top with an additional 1/3 of the powdered sugar mixture. Use an oiled knife to cut the Turkish delight into 36 small squares. Place in a bowl and dust with the remaining 1/3 of the powdered sugar mixture and gently shake to ensure all sides are coated to prevent stickiness.
![Powdered sugar on a piece of light brown parchment paper with a knife at the side with the set turkish delight on top with powdered sugar dusted on top and cut into squares on a light pink background.]()
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature with parchment paper between every layer. It will keep up to 1 month.
![Powdered sugar on a piece of light brown parchment paper with the set turkish delight on top with powdered sugar dusted on top and cut into squares on a light pink background.]()
Notes
- You can replace cream of tartar (which is preferable) with citric acid as a stabilizer and to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
- Feel free to experiment with other add-ins like walnuts, rose petals or almonds. You can also use other flavourings such as orange blossom, vanilla or lemon.
- The amount of food colouring depends on its form and intensity (gels, liquid…). Start with one drop and add more until the colour reaches your preference. Experiment with other colours like yellow and orange.
- If you are not using the gelatin and they are melting or losing their shape at room temperature, it is likely that it needs more cooking time for the water to evaporate.
- Gelatin is added to this recipe to cut the cooking time and to ensure they hold their shape.
- If you would like a more cube like shape, double the recipe so that the pieces have more height
- It can be stored for up to 1 month at room temperature.
Nutrition
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