Turkish Delight

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!