Learn how to make traditional rose Turkish delight in the comfort of your own kitchen. This classic recipe is so easy to follow and makes delicious sweets each time.
This rose Turkish delight recipe takes you through each easy step to recreate these deliciously moreish treats.
If you've never thought to make your own Turkish Delight before, this is the recipe to try it with. It's simple and elegant, and only takes 30 minutes (plus setting time) to make this delicious teatime treat. With a soft jelly texture and a light powdered coating, these look and taste just like the Turkish delight you can buy in fancy confectioners. The pillowy little sweets are flavoured with rosewater for an authentic taste. Our recipe will give you 36-49 squares to set overnight. Carefully remove from the tin in the morning and dust with cornflour and icing sugar before dishing them out.
Ingredients
8 leaves gelatine
500g (1lb) granulated sugar
Few drops of rosewater
Few drops of pink liquid food colouring
2 level tbsp icing sugar
1 level tbsp cornflour
18cm (7in) square sandwich tin
WEIGHT CONVERTER
to
Method
Pour 300ml (½ pint) water into a pan and add the gelatine leaves, breaking them in half, if necessary, so that they fit. Leave the gelatine to bloom for about 5 mins, then place the pan on a low heat and stir gently until the gelatine melts. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it gently for 20 mins.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in rose water and food colouring, until it's pale pink. Wet the sandwich tin with cold water, then pour in the rose syrup. Leave this in a cool place to set overnight.
Sift the icing sugar and cornflour together onto a plate or board. Ease the set Turkish Delight out of the tin on to the icing-sugar mixture. Use a long knife with a damp blade to cut the jelly into 2.5-3cm (1-1¼in) squares. Coat all cut surfaces in the powder mixture.
Store in a cardboard box, lined with baking parchment, in a single layer, dusted with a little extra icing-sugar mixture. Keep in a cool, dry place (but not in the fridge) for up to 1 week (not suitable for freezing).
Watch how to make Turkish delight
Top tips for making Turkish delight:
Why not wrap up these tempting Turkish Delights in a tin and share out amongst friends. It’s sure to earn you a few brownie points.
Why is my Turkish delight too soft?
If your Turkish Delight is not setting or sets too soft for your taste, it's likely that you didn't heat it for long enough and not enough of the liquid has evaporated. If you have left it overnight and it is not set enough, you can reheat the sweets (as long as you haven't coated them yet). They will melt down and you can bubble them again at a high heat for an extra five minutes, then re-set.
Why is my Turkish Delight crunchy?
This is most likely because you have not stirred and melted the sugar sufficiently, leaving some crystals in the mixtures. Ensure you stir well and all the sugar is dissolved.
How do I stop my Turkish Delight from sweating?
Do not set the Turkish Delight in the fridge. The temperature change will be too sudden and cause the sweet to sweat when you take them out. Instead, set at room temperature. If you're gifting the Turkish delight, allow two days to make it. After the first overnight setting, chop the jelly into pieces and toss in the cornflour, then leave to rest at room temperature (again: not the fridge) for another 12 hours before tossing in the icing sugar.
Sue McMahon is a former Food and Recipes Writer at GoodTo and Cooking Editor at Woman's Weekly. Her primary passion is cakes and Sue regularly travels the world teaching cake decorating. Her biggest achievement to date was winning the Prix d’honneur at La Salon Culinaire International de Londres beating over 1,200 other entries.
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