This recipe shows you the EASY way to make homemade Turkish Delight – rather than the authentic way.
This Turkish Delight Recipe delivers a gloriously sweet and rose-y treat that you can enjoy for weeks.
If you like the Cadbury Fry's Turkish Delight, you'll love this version of Turkish Delight – especially if you dip it in a little milk chocolate.
Easy Turkish Delight Recipe
Okay, so right up I'm going to reiterate that this is not an authentic recipe.
It is, however, an easy recipe and if you like the Fry's style of Turkish Delight – which is as bit more jelly-ish than the more chewy traditional version – I expect you'll like this recipe.
If you're after authentic, try this recipe from Aegean Delight or this one from 196 flavours.
Turkish Delight is known as lokum and is popular not just in Turkey but throughout the Middle East and Balkans. It's been around for hundreds of years, though its exact origin is not certain. Even Fry's Turkish Delight has been around for more than 100 years!
I did try to make the authentic version many years ago. I have always loved Turkish Delight and on this particular occasion I thought it might be a nice idea to impress my Lebanese father-in-law with my cooking skills.
It turned into an all-night event. All I remember is stirring, and stirring and stirring. It was never-ending.
And while the result was something you could hardly chew – yes, must have went wrong with all that stirring – my father-in-law was extremely amused and impressed with my enthusiasm at least.
I'm not sure what went wrong. But it is a good memory all these years later.
So, I'd avoided making it again for many years – though I've certainly enjoyed my fair share of bought Turkish Delight over the years.
But when I discovered this recipe in a cookbook from the 1960s, which I picked up from a local op shop, I had to give it another go.
And, yes, this recipe was a winner.
So simple to execute and the result, while not traditional in every sense, is certainly a delight in every other sense.
And I promise you won't be stirring all night!
Ingredients for Turkish Delight
To make up this EASY Turkish Delight recipe you'll need:
- gelatine (this is the "EASY" part – authentic recipes use cornflour)
- sugar (white or caster)
- tartaric acid
- rosewater
- pink or red food colouring
- icing sugar
- cornflour.
You should be able to find rosewater at a larger supermarket, located in the baking or international aisles. It should also be available at Middle Eastern and other specialty grocers and online.
Likewise, tartaric acid should be on the shelves at your supermarket or find it at a specialty grocer.
Making Turkish Delight
You'll need a small-ish baking tin. I used a 15cm x 15cm square tin, however a bar tin would work well too.
Once you've measured out your ingredients, start by combining the gelatine and the ¾ cup water in a saucepan. Let rest for 10 minutes – you'll see the gelatine will swell during this time.
Next, add the sugar and boiling water and stir for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
Start heating the saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring the mixture until it starts to boil.
Boil for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Remove from the heat and add the tartaric acid, rosewater and colouring, stirring to combine.
Wet the tin a little with water and then pour the mixture into the tin.
Now, the waiting game begins!
Allow your Turkish Delight to set for 24 hours.
The next day, sift the icing sugar and cornflour together into a bowl.
Sprinkle a little of the icing sugar and cornflour mixture over the top of the Turkish Delight and a little on your benchtop.
Ease the Turkish Delight out of the tin using a wide plastic spatula. Be patient – it might take a bit of encouragement to get it out of the tin.
Place the slab of Turkish delight on the dusted benchtop.
Cut into small squares using a sharp knife and then dip each piece in the remainder of the icing sugar and cornflour mixture in the bowl.
Variation ideas and how to store Turkish Delight
Okay, so my personal favourite variation idea is to dip your Turkish Delight squares in milk chocolate.
If you like Fry's Turkish delight, you'll LOVE this option.
It makes the perfect after-dinner treat with a coffee or tea.
You could also add some chopped almonds or pistachios to the Turkish Delight. These nuts are often paired with Turkish Delight. Just add them at the same time you add the tartaric acid.
And if you want to make it even more impressive, add you own homemade Turkish Delight to our Persian Rocky Road Recipe.
Your Turkish delight should last a few weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Indeed, it tastes even better after a few days or a week in storage!
Turkish Delight
Equipment
- small square or rectangular baking tin (15cm x 15cm or equivalent)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons gelatine
- ¾ cup water
- 2 cups sugar (white or caster)
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ teaspoons tartaric acid
- 1 tablespoon rosewater
- 5 drops pink or red food colouring (or enough to reach a pale pink colour)
- ¼ cup icing sugar
- ¼ cup cornflour
- milk chocolate, melted (optional, for dipping squares in once set)
- chopped almonds or pistachios (optional, can be added with tartaric acid and stirred through the mixture before it sets)
Instructions
- Combine gelatine and the ¾ cup water in a saucepan. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Add sugar and boiling water and stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Heat on low-medium heat, stirring until the mixture starts to boil.
- Boil for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Remove from the heat and add the tartaric acid, rosewater and colouring, stirring to combine.
- Wet the tin a little and then pour mixture into the tin.
- Allow to set for 24 hours.
- Sift icing sugar and cornflour together into a bowl.
- Sprinkle a little of the icing sugar and cornflour mixture over the top of the Turkish Delight and a little on your benchtop.
- Ease the Turkish Delight out of the tin using a wide plastic spatula and place on the dusted benchtop.
- Cut into small squares using a sharp knife and then dip each piece in the remainder of the icing sugar and cornflour mixture in the bowl.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- This is an easy homemade Turkish delight recipe – not an authentic recipe.
- If you like Fry’s Turkish delight, I predict you'll LOVE this recipe. Just dip the squares in melted milk chocolate.
- You could also add some chopped almonds or pistachios to the Turkish Delight. These nuts are often paired with Turkish Delight. Just add them at the same time you add the tartaric acid.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a few weeks.
Michelle says
Hi Libby, our family LOVED the taste of this Turkish delight. It was beautifully “clear” and not cloudy at all. However it was way too “soft”. I did follow your recipe to the letter but now I am wondering if maybe here is Brisbane with the heat if I might need to use a bit more gelatine? Do you have any other suggestions? Many thanks Michelle
Libby Hakim says
Hi Michelle. That's good to hear but sorry it was too soft - I'd definitely try adding a little more gelatine as you suggest. I'll re-test this one at some stage also and note your comments. Good luck!
Michelle says
Hi Libby, thanks for getting back to me. So, my daughter "googled" it and found that we could "remelt" the failed batch and boil for longer, which we did and also took the temp up to 121 as per the candy thermometer! Nup, sorry to say this didn't work and I am now at a loss.....I wasn't able to get any tartaric acid anywhere! and I used cream of tartar, could this be the problem because I have now found tartaric acid on line and it will come next week. Do you think that might have something to do with my troubles?
Toni Latham says
Hello I was wondering if you could actually make a cake from this recipe? I absolutely love turkish delight but i cant find a recipe for one.
Libby Hakim says
Hi Toni. You could, but that'd be a lot of Turkish Delight!! Perhaps make a Rocky Road "cake" with plenty of Turkish Delight added to it?
Keera Edwards says
Super easy, family loves it, tastes like perfection. Making my 2nd batch now, next batch will be a different flavour. I used lemon juice instead of cream of tartar coz thats what I always do, same measurement. I dont have a candy thermometer. I have been making using gelatin and sugar for about 1 year to make gummies/candy so some home experience. Great recipe TY.
Libby Hakim says
Yay! You're welcome - happy cooking 🙂
Allison says
Just curious what the tartaric acid is for? Is it for a tangy taste?
Libby Hakim says
Hi Allison - yes, tartaric acid is a flavour enhancer. It's also a preserver, though there's plenty of sugar for that in Turkish Delight 🙂
Cynthia says
Hi, thank you for sharing the recipe. Do you have the recipe in grams and millilitres rather than cups? Always find proportions not right when using cups in the UK. Thank you
Libby Hakim says
Hi Cynthia. I've been doing this with all the newer recipes and am slowly going back through the older recipes and adding this info. I will update this one shortly. Thanks for your question as it helps me understand how to make the recipes more user-friendly for people all over the world 🙂 Happy cooking!
Cynthia says
Thank you, I’m going to try this evening. Although I could not find tartaric acid anywhere here locally. Hopefully it will be ok
Michelle says
I found a similar recipe to this in a book (using gelatin, no cornstarch). i make it every year for Christmas but with bubblegum flavoring and it it is so beloved, my kids ask for it when I make a care package to send them. My recipe calls for 1/4 cup water with the gelatin so I'm sure the texture of mine is way different. Sugar syrup gets boiled to 260 degrees. Anyway, I'm glad to come across your recipe! My kids with allergies (and myself) appreciate not having corn or other icky ingredients in our delights!
Claudia says
How much milk chocolate do you need for dipping the Turkish delight in? 🙂
Libby Hakim says
Hi Claudia. If you want to coat all of the Turkish Delight, about 180 grams. Happy cooking!
Lynda says
Have you ever frozen this ?
Libby Hakim says
No, not confident it would freeze well. Sorry!
Lee says
I like Fry's Turkish Delight, but live in the USA so it's not easy to find and usually quite expensive. I would love to be able to whip up my own at home. I am wondering if there's a way to make the recipe sans gelatin? Could agar-agar be used as an alternative?
Libby Hakim says
Hi Lee. You could definitely try a gelatin substitute such as Agar Agar. I haven't tried this, so can't guarantee it will work. Let me know how you go. Happy cooking!