Turkish Delight (Lokum)

Turkish pleasure is a wonderfully chewy, rose-flavored candy that goes well with Turkish coffee or afternoon tea. It's a great personal gift for someone special and is surprisingly simple to make.

Ingredients :

Sugar syrup

• 4 cups (800g) sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 1/2 cups water

Cornstarch paste

• 1 cup (125g) cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 2 cups water

Flavoring and color

• 1 1/2 tablespoons rose water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 drops pink or red food coloring

Finishing

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Special Equipment

• 8x8-inch pan

• Candy thermometer

• Parchment paper

STEPS :

     1. Prepare the pan :

Grease a metal 8x8-inch baking pan with neutral oil or cooking spray and line it with baking parchment. Set the pan aside after lightly oiling or spraying the lining.

     2. Make the sugar syrup :

In a medium saucepan (at least 2-quart size), combine the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and 1 1/2 cups water and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, covered. Boil, covered, for 5 minutes to help dissolve any crystals that have formed on the pot's sides. Then, remove the lid, insert the candy thermometer, and continue to cook until the mixture reaches a temperature of 240°F to 250°F (this could take 7-10 minutes). The finished sugar syrup will be yellow in color.

     3. Make the cornstarch paste :

In a big, wide pot or saucepan (at least a 4-quart capacity), whisk together the cornstarch, cream of tartar, and 2 cups of water over medium heat until a thick paste forms, about 3-5 minutes. This is done while the sugar syrup is heating up. After removing from the heat, put aside.

     4. Combine the sugar syrup and cornstarch paste :

Remove the saucepan from the heat when the sugar syrup reaches a temperature of 240°F to 250°F.

Return the pan with the cornstarch paste to a low heat and slowly pour in the sugar syrup in small batches, stirring until well combined and there are no lumps.

     5. Cook the mixture gently for 1 hour :

Increase the heat to high until the combined liquid begins to bubble, then decrease to low and allow the mixture to slowly bubble for 1 hour, stirring every few minutes with a wooden spoon. The color of the mixture will progress from pale straw to golden. The mixture is ready when it leaves the sides of the pan, can be dragged into the center, and is thick enough to see a clear line when a spoon is drawn through it.

     6. Add flavor and color :

When the mixture has thickened sufficiently, add the vanilla extract, rose water, and food coloring. Stir until completely combined. Remove from the heat.

     7. Mold and set the Turkish delight :

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish as quickly as possible. Spread the mixture into all corners of the dish using the back of a spoon. If the mixture sticks to the spoon, oil it. 

At this stage, the mixture is still very hot—do not touch it!

Allow to set overnight in a dry location.

     8. Cut, finish, and store the Turkish delight :

Sift 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup cornstarch into a large mixing basin. Sprinkle a small amount of the powder mixture over your work surface. Peel the parchment off the Turkish delight and place it on the powdered work area. More of the powder combination should be sprinkled on top of the Turkish delight slab.

Cut the Turkish delight into 6 equal strips using a pizza cutter oiled with a little neutral oil. Then, cut the strips into squares (6 per strip, for a total of 36 squares) and toss in the powder mixture. 

Once each square has been cut and dusted, you can either serve them right away or keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry location. The Turkish pleasure should be consumed within a week.