FOODY FRIDAY TURKISH DELIGHTS LOUKOUMIA

For the next addition to my xmas hamper I thought I would make another box of confectionery, but this time one more familiar with holidays abroad in the Mediterranean. Yes you’ve guessed it! I’m going to attempt to make Turkish delights or in greek, ‘loukoumia’. Turkish delights are a great gift as they can be accommodated to an individual’s taste, as the flavours are endless. You don’t have to just make them for your christmas hamper, they are great served after a meal with coffee and can also be an excellent token of affection, as in the 1800s turkish delights were wrapped in lace handkerchiefs and couples exchanged them as tokens of love.

GREEK GHANA MIX TURKISH DELIGHT RECIPE

You will need:

•  804g granulated sugar
• 160g cornflour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 litre 50ml water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange blossom water
• 128g confectioners sugar
• Vegetable oil or shortening

Method:

• Take a 9-inch cooking pan and coat the bottom and sides with vegetable oil or shortening and the line the pan with baking paper
• combine lemon juice, sugar, and 1 ½ cups of water in a saucepan on medium heat
• stir until sugar dissolves

• allow to boil reduce heat and let mixture simmer until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer
• remove from heat and set aside in a saucepan
• in a saucepan mix cream of tartar, 1 cup of cornflour and remaining water over medium heat

• stir until all lumps are gone and mixture stars boiling, and then stop stirring when it has a glue-like consistency

• add lemon juice/sugar/water mixture. Stir for 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently
• once the mixture is golden brown, stir in orange flower water
• sift some icing sugar on to bottom of lined and greased pan so bottom of delight will be coated
• pour into lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight

• once cool, sift together icing sugar and remaining cornflour 
• turn over pan containing delights on to a clean counter top or chopping board covered with 1/4 of icing sugar mixture

• cut into 1-inch squares with oiled knife

• coat squares with icing sugar mixture

• store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper

gg tip:

When you line your greased pan with baking paper grease the paper too with a little vegetable shortening as this will help in easy removal of turkish delight. I have heard of many complaining and throwing away their turkish delights because the baking or waxed paper got stuck and ruined the form of the delight.  As an alternative you can also use a lightly greased silicone pan for the same results.

extra gg tip:

When I grease any thing with shortening I tend to find it makes my pastry brush very oily and it takes forever to wash out, but I have found an alternative brush. I get  a piece of baking paper covered with shortening and wipe it across my pan, very quick with less washing up.

extra extra gg tip:

Be adventurous with your flavourings, maybe try pomegranate and clove, apple and pear or even banana and butterscotch.