Lokum (Turkish Delight with Rose Water and Pistachios)

About This Recipe

Lokum (لوقوم), known internationally as Turkish Delight, is one of the world's great confections — a uniquely textured sweet made from cornflour and sugar boiled to a specific temperature, then flavoured and set into a gel-like, jelly-but-not-jelly substance that has no precise equivalent in Western confectionery. The texture of genuine lokum is almost impossible to describe to someone who has only eaten the imported, over-sweetened commercial versions: properly made lokum is silky, pliable, mildly chewy but never tough, and has a melt-on-the-tongue quality that releases its perfume slowly. The classic Ottoman flavour is rose water — the specific, intensely floral rose water of Isparta or Edirne — paired with green pistachios that provide colour contrast, crunch, and nuttiness. Lokum was first created in Istanbul by the confectioner Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir, who opened his shop on İstanbul's Hamidiye Caddesi in 1777, an establishment still operating today. The confection was brought to Europe by British travellers in the 19th century, who anglicised its name to 'Turkish Delight' and made it internationally famous. Making lokum at home requires patience and precise temperature control, but the result — fresh, fragrant, and utterly superior to any commercial version — rewards the effort completely.

Ingredients

Serves 30

• 900 gcaster sugar
• 600 mlwater(divided)
• 1 tspcream of tartar(or fresh lemon juice)
• 160 gcornflour (cornstarch)(divided)
• 3 tbsprose water
• 1 tspred food colouring(optional, for the classic pink colour)
• 100 graw pistachios
• 80 gicing sugar(mixed with 40g cornflour, for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the sugar syrup

   Combine 900g sugar, 350ml water, and cream of tartar in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook over medium heat without stirring until the syrup reaches 127°C (260°F) — firm ball stage. Remove from heat.

   Use a digital thermometer. The exact temperature is critical — too low gives soft, sticky lokum; too high makes it tough.

2. 2

   Make the cornflour paste

   In a separate large heavy pot, whisk 120g cornflour into 250ml cold water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture thickens into a stiff, transparent paste.

3. 3

   Combine and cook

   Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the cornflour paste in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot, for 60–75 minutes until the mixture turns golden and pulls away from the sides of the pot.

   This long cooking step cannot be rushed or shortcut. The mixture must darken from white to pale gold to achieve the right texture.

4. 4

   Flavour and colour

   Remove from heat. Quickly stir in rose water, food colouring, and pistachios. Pour immediately into a lightly oiled 20x20cm tin. Smooth the top. Leave at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight to set.

5. 5

   Dust and cut

   Mix icing sugar and remaining cornflour. Turn the lokum block out onto a surface dusted with the icing sugar mixture. Cut into cubes with an oiled knife. Toss all sides of each cube in the powdered sugar mixture to prevent sticking.

Variations

• •

  Bergamot lokum: substitute bergamot extract for rose water for a Citrus-floral variation popular in Edirne.

• •

  Pomegranate lokum: add 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses and omit rose water; tint deep red.

• •

  Mastic lokum: add 1/4 tsp ground mastic for an ethereal Mediterranean forest flavour.

Storage

Lokum keeps at room temperature in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks. Re-dust with the icing sugar-cornflour mixture if it becomes sticky. Do not refrigerate — cold causes the lokum to sweat and become sticky.

Frequently Asked Questions