Turkish Desserts Other Than Turkish Delight
Kestane Şekeri
Kestane şekeri is candied chestnuts in Turkey. The chestnuts grow in Uludağ of Bursa and the candies are prepared from these chestnuts collected from the mountain. After chestnuts are peeled off their shells, they are boiled with water and sugar. The process is not as easy as it may sound because there are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to making the perfect candied chestnut. Kafkas is a famous brand in Bursa that is known for its candied chestnuts if you want to try it out.
Fındık Lokumu
Walnut lokum is a special dessert made in Bursa and it is made for special occasions such as weddings. However, it is not your typical Turkish delight if you have mistaken “lokum” for that. It is completely different. Yeast, milk, flour, powdered sugar are all mixed and baked potatoes are added in to make a dough. The dough is thinned down. Walnut, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and tahini is put on the thin dough and then rolled. The rolled dough is cut into small pieces and baked with some egg yolk on top.
Kemalpaşa Tatlısı
Kemalpaşa dessert was first made in the milk houses in the district of Mustafakemalpaşa. The original name of the dessert is “Mustafakemalpaşa Peynir Tatlısı” however in time, the name changed into ”Kemalpaşa Tatlısı”. In the making of this special dessert, cheese is made from fresh milk. Then flour, semolina, and eggs are added into the cheese and made into a dough. The dough is then cut into small rounds and baked in the oven. After that, a water and sugar mixture is boiled on the stove. The baked dough is poured into the boiling mixture allowing it to soak it up and get soft.
Orange Jam
Antalya has some of the most delicious jams in the world. Although they are made from strange vegetables and fruits, they taste amazingly beautiful. Locals of Antalya make jams from eggplants, bergamot, melon peel, and tomatoes, while the province has made a name for themselves for their oranges. Each of them has a completely different aroma yet they are all beautiful in case you are not sure about trying them. We promise you would not even be able to tell what the ingredients are if they did not tell you.
Şibit Tatlısı
This is an interesting dessert. Think of baklava but imagine it without the pistachios or walnuts inside. There is only the sweet dough that is in thin layers. If you like baklava, give this one a try as well. It might be a good idea to try this one for those who cannot eat baklava because they are allergic to walnuts or pistachios.
Lokma
Lokma is the signature dessert of Izmir. It is made of dough being fried and then put into a syrup prepared with water and sugar. It is an extremely simple recipe but not everybody can make it properly. Izmir is the place to try out this delicious dessert, especially if you have a sweet tooth.
Muğla Loop
Muğla Halkası is a type of cookie that is special to Muğla. It used to be made during special occasions at home. However, today you can eat it at any restaurant.
Zerde
Zerde is made with a mixture of rice, pine nuts, and currants. To make the consistency thicker, starch is added in as well. What makes zerde so special is the saffron and rose water used in the recipe. Saffron is the ingredient that gives the dessert its rich, golden color. Since saffron is extremely expensive, nowadays many people and restaurants prefer to prepare zerde with Tumeric instead of saffron which gives the same color. The mixture is poured into small cups and served cold.
Laz Helvası
Laz helvası is a traditional recipe that is special to the Black Sea region. In the past, when there was no chocolate during the festivities or “bayrams”, laz helvası was made instead for the kids and the guests to eat. This dessert is prepared with milk and semolina. In the end, it has a pudding-like consistency. Even though the name has “helva” in it, this dessert is different from a typical halvah.
Baklava
Prized-possession of Turkish culture, Baklava is another famous and delicious dessert in Turkey that is also full of calories. Baklava is made of thin dough and pistachios put in between. A syrup prepared with just water and sugar is poured on top of the dough after it is baked to make baklava. The best baklava in Istanbul is prepared by Güllüoğlu in Karaköy. You can see a long queue in front of the shop almost at all times.
