Having made my own rose water a couple of weeks ago, I have haven’t stopped thinking about Turkish Delight. Turkish Delight is my favourite sweet. I loved it as a child and often buy a box to use on the Christmas buffet table.
Following research a couple of years ago, I never got round to making it, as I could never find rose water, so I made my own. You can see how I made it here!
It seemed like it was going to take a long time to make it from reading about it, but it didn’t! I am not sure if my hobs are hotter than the ones used in the recipes I had written down, but it took half the time I expected.
Mistakes and tips!
When you have finished wash the pans immediately in very hot water. If you have left the pan too long and the syrup has stuck, you can add washing up liquid to the pan with some water and pop it back on the hob. When the pan is hot, the syrup will then wash away easily.
One mistake I did make, was starting with a pan that was too small! It all looked fine when I started off the syrup. In my second pan I added water, cornflour and cream of tartar. I then realised, there was no chance I could add them both together into either pan. Ensure your pan is a decent size from the start!
Please note, you do need a sugar thermometer to make sure the syrup reaches the correct temperature.
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Have everything weighed and ready before you start. You will also need a baking tin, lined with foil and lightly oiled, (I used olive oil)
Working quickly!
My syrup was just 5 deg away from the 240 deg F that is required. The sugar thermometer, was laughing at me!
I turned the heat down and with one arm stirring the cornflour and water: I just managed to leave a 2 second gap, whilst I a grabbed a larger saucepan. When you are making something like this you have to work quickly, and cannot leave the pans. Honestly, I couldn’t have picked a worse time.
I managed to place the pan on the hob, turn it on full to warm up and was then able to add the mixtures from both pans together.
Phew! Seconds to spare! Anyway, all went well, and I can now tell you to use a large pan!
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Turkish Delight
Equipment
- 2 saucepans – 1 medium – 1 large
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9" x 9" deep baking tray – Lined with tin foil and lightly oiled
- Sugar Thermometer
- 2 whisks
- Pastry brush
- I large lightly oiled knife for cutting the Turkish Delight once it is set
Ingredients
- 4 cups Granulated Sugar
- 4.5 cups Water – Split into parts (1.5 for the sugar pan/3 for the cornflour pan)
- 2 tsp Lemon juice
- 1 and a quarter cups Cornflour
- 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1.5 tbsp Rose Water
- Red food colouring optional
Instructions
- Weigh and measure all ingredients and have them ready before you start. Also have your lined, oiled, baking tray ready.
Saucepan One – Medium pan
- Add sugar, lemon juice and 1.5 cups of water to the medium pan and turn up the heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and it is coming to the boil.
- When it is boiling – STOP whisking and using a pastry brush dipped in a little water, brush down the insides of the pan to help prevent crystals forming. You now need to continue boiling pan 1 until the temperature reaches 240 deg F on the thermometer. This is the soft ball stage and you need this temperature for the Turkish Delight to set.When the temperature reaches around 225 deg F collect your other ingredients together for Pan 2.
Pan 2 – Larger pan
- Add 3 cups of water, corn starch and Cream of Tartar to your second pan. Whisk vigorously until it is all smooth and turn on the heat.
- Do not stop whisking and make sure you are touching the base of the pan. Bring it to the boil, still whisking. It will suddenly go very thick so don't take your eyes off that pan!
- Now your syrup in pan 1 has reached 240 deg F, turn off the heat and carefully add your syrup from the first pan into the large pan with the cornflour mixture, mixing it to incorporate everything together.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking every 8 to 10 minutes, for about an hour, until the toffee has turned a light golden yellow color and is very thick.
- Turn off the heat and stir through the rose water and red food colouring if using.
- Immediately add this to your lined baking tray and leave to cool.
- When cool enough, leave in the fridge for around 6 – 8 hours until properly set.
Finally
- Once set, dust your worktop liberally with icing sugar and carefully tip out the Turkish delight.
- Using a lightly oiled knife, cut into cubes and dust them liberally with icing sugar covering all sides. I used a large bowl to do this it was easier.
- Turkish delight is at its best soon after it is made, To store, keep it at room temperature in an airtight container with grease proof paper between the layers of squares. Dust with more icing sugar before serving.