Kazandibi

About This Recipe

Kazandibi — literally 'bottom of the cauldron' — is one of the most intriguing and distinctive desserts in Turkish cuisine. It is a member of the muhallebi family of milk puddings, distinguished by an intentionally burnt, caramelised base that gives the dessert its name and defining character. The pudding itself is a smooth, starchy custard of milk, rice flour and sugar, subtly perfumed with rose water. It is cooked in a pan until thick, then pressed into a well-greased baking tin and placed under a very hot grill to develop the blackened bottom. When inverted, the charred surface becomes the dramatic, toffee-dark top of each portion. The bitterness of the caramel contrasts beautifully with the sweet, creamy pudding.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1 litrewhole milk
• 120 gcaster sugar
• 80 grice flour
• 30 gcornstarch
• 1 tablespoonrose water
• 40 gunsalted butter(for greasing the pan)
• 4 tablespoonscaster sugar(for caramelising the base)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pudding base

   Whisk together the rice flour and cornstarch with 200 ml of the cold milk until completely smooth. Pour the remaining milk into a heavy saucepan with the 120 g sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the milk is warm. Add the rice flour mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly.

2. 2

   Cook until thick

   Continue to cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, over medium heat for 15–20 minutes until the pudding thickens to a consistency that coats the spoon thickly and pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water.

3. 3

   Prepare the caramel base

   Grease a 30 x 20 cm baking tin generously with butter. Sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the base. Place the tin directly over medium-high heat on the hob or under a very hot grill until the sugar melts and caramelises to a deep amber-brown, even slightly blackened in places — this is intentional and traditional.

   Watch the sugar carefully — the difference between ideal caramelisation and an acrid burn is seconds. You want dark amber, not charred black.

4. 4

   Add the pudding

   Immediately pour the hot pudding over the caramelised sugar base in the tin, spreading it level. Leave to cool to room temperature.

5. 5

   Chill and invert

   Refrigerate for at least 3 hours until fully set and cold. To serve, run a spatula carefully around the edges. Invert portions onto plates so the caramelised base becomes the top. The dark caramel surface is the hallmark of the dish.

Variations

• •

  Chicken breast kazandibi (tavuk göğsü style): add 80 g of very finely shredded, poached chicken breast to the pudding — a classic and surprising Turkish combination.

• •

  Mastic kazandibi: add 2–3 pieces of ground mastic resin to the warm milk for a piney, resinous aroma.

• •

  Cinnamon version: dust the finished pudding generously with ground cinnamon before serving.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days. Kazandibi is always served cold.

Frequently Asked Questions