Tatlı (= Dessert)
Aşure
Aşure is a dessert that is widespread in the Middle East and in many Islamic countries and a sweet dish from pre-Islamic times. It's made from white beans, chickpeas, wheat, rice, water, raisins, chopped walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and powdered sugar. The preparation is done by boiling each ingredients and then mixing them. The name Aşure comes from the Arabic word "aschara" meaning “ten”; Ashura is called the tenth day of the month of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. It is believed that the story of Aşure began with the Great Flood and the Prophet Noah. The story of Aşure is based on the following story:
Although the sons of the Prophet Noah Sam, Ham and Yasef believed in him, his rebellious son Kenan and the people did not believe in him. Although he has been preaching God's words to people for over 1,000 years, he has been persecuted and mocked by unbelievers. He complained to God about his people, who thereupon ordered the Prophet Noah to build a very large ship and sent the Prophet Gabriel to the earth to help him. The Prophet Noah obeyed the command and built a large ship and took the believers and a couple of each animal race with him. When God caused the Great Flood, rain fell from the sky and water gushed from the ground, covering the entire earth with water. The ship drifted in the water for months. During this time the food ran out. The rest of the food was collected in a cauldron and a soup was made out of it, which was then called "Ashura".
Baklava
Gaziantep is the city in Turkey, which ist known for its baklava. Although the ingredient used for baklava is pistachio in Gaziantep, it varies a lot geographically. Homemade baklavas uses pistachios in Southeastern Anatolia, hazelnuts on the Black Sea, walnuts in Central Anatolia, almonds on the Aegean coast, sesame in Edirne and Thrace. Although the demand for baklava with pistachios is high, walnuts are also often in demand for economic reasons. It can be served pure or with ice cream or whipped cream. Good quality of baklava is characterized by thin sheets of pastry and an abundance of pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts and if the syrup has the right consistency. The original baklava from Gaziantep differs from other baklavas in the way it is made and its taste. The difference starts with the used ingredients. The durum wheat flour, which is grown in the arid fields of the Harran plain, is combined with the water from Gaziantep. The resulting dough is turned into a 40-fold dough, each thinner than paper, with a pearwood rolling pin in the hands of the masters of Antep. The butter used for this is obtained from the milk of sheep and goats, which is 99.9% pure and free from unnecessary ingredients. The matured valuable antep pistachios with an emerald green color and rich aroma are collected in Turfan in the first week of August, roasted, coarsely ground and distributed between the 40 layers of dough. The sugar syrup is stabilized below the boiling point and poured over the baklavas that are still hot. The entire process requires a lot of experience and is passed on from the masters to the apprentices. The knowledge and experience of the employees create added value from the beginning of the process through to presentation to the customer. When the original Antep-Baklava is fresh, it creates a very pleasant nudgeon with the first bite. For baklava enthusiasts, this sound is almost as pleasant as the baklava itself.
With Almonds
With Walnuts
With Pistachios
Büzme (= frizzy)
Cezerye
Especially in the region of Mersin, cezerye is made from carrots, sugar, walnuts and coconuts. It takes its name from the word cezer, which means carrot in Arabic. The grated carrot is first boiled and then roasted with sugar. Outside with nutmeg and inside with pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts or walnuts. This delicious dessert is rich in vitamins C and A and is particularly beneficial for heart and eye health. Experts describe the benefits of cezerye as follows: it strengthens the eyes and hair, gives the skin shine, protects against fatigue and is good for the heart, it protects against Alzheimer's, lowers cholesterol and delays skin aging.
With Hazelnuts
With Pistachios
With Walnuts
Güllaç
Güllaç is a Turkish dessert made from thin leaves of corn starch, soaked in milk that has been boiled with sugar and flavored with rose water, filled with walnut kernels and decorated with pomegranate seeds. It is a traditional dessert of the fasting month of Ramadan. Güllaç is one of the Turkish desserts that was particularly valued in the palace kitchens and in the households of the upper class of the Ottoman Empire. To this day, it is particularly popular in the fasting month of Ramadan because of its easy digestibility. The ingredients are manageable, but the preparation requires some skill. In the affluent houses of old Istanbul, there were always several chefs who specialized in certain dishes, such as roasted meat, böreks, desserts or vegetable dishes. However, the preparation of Güllaç, which requires special skills, was reserved for the lady of the house. Special attention was paid to the Güllaç because it was known that the lady of the house had prepared it.
Helva
Helva is an indispensable part of Turkish cuisine culture and was a popular dessert in the palaces from the Ottoman period. It is derived from the Arabic word hulv (= sweet, nice, beautiful). Hulviyyat or halaviyyat stands for sweet dishes in Arabic. Helva was pronounced "Halva" until the end of the 19th century and has changed colloquially to Helva in Istanbul. Helva was not only important as a dessert in the palaces and in Istanbul. It also had a ceremonial meaning on all social levels throughout the empire. A very rich, strong and impressive culture has formed around the Helva. It is still common today to share helva with spouse, friends and relatives. Helva is also offered at the funeral feast.
From the archival documents of Sultan Mustafa III. it appears that helva was distributed and entertainment provided when his son was born. In the Ottoman palace, Helva talks were organized under the pretext of eating Helva and to bring intellectuals together and promote joy, friends, science, culture, poetry. The Helva talks held in the palace played an important role in the emergence of the poet Nedim as an important person in literary history during the time of Sultan Ahmet I. "Helvahane" is the area in the kitchen in the Topkapı Palace where all kinds of Desserts, jams, soaps, rock candy, sorbet, baklava and palace canapes can be prepared. In addition, the Helva House is the place where the medicines and pastes with aphrodisiac properties needed by the palace were made. In the Topkapı Palace a building was built by the architect Sinan during the reign of Sultan Suleyman I - the Magnificent. Helva formed a separate class called "helvacıyan-i hassa" among the desserts. Successful Helva masters were promoted to Helvacıbaşı (= pastry chef) and everyone who worked in the "Helvahane" was subordinate to him. A henna night was held in the Ottoman Palace one day before the circumcision ceremony of Princes Beyazid and Cihangir. In November 1539, that night, Sultan Suleyman I - the Magnificent - offered 53 kinds of desserts to the guests and consumed about 3400 kilos of sugar. Sources indicate that there were many types of jams and helvas that night. At Ottoman festivals, dessert was not served at the end of the meal, but rather during the meal or under the salty. The variety of the Helvaarten is very large. From the 15th century to the end of the 19th century, 34 types of helva were made in the palace.
In Turkish restaurants, it is common to have Fırın Helvası as dessert after a fish dish. In the Black Sea region they say: Eat a Fırın Helvası so that the fish knows that it is dead. Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, have high nutritional value, and are high in iodine, iron and zinc. After eating fish, the digestive system becomes challenged and blood sugar levels drop. With fish, you do without dairy products and thus also on a sweet dessert made from milk, so as not to put additional strain on the digestive system. In addition, it was previously not customary to eat dairy products (milk, yoghurt, etc.) with fish, in order not to promote poisoning in fish that are not quite so fresh. However, this rule goes back to times when transport, storage and cooling were not as pronounced as they are today. The main ingredient of Fırın Helvası is tahini, a paste made from finely ground sesame seeds. It's the ideal dessert because it's not too sweet, binds heavy metals and toxins, and regulates blood sugar levels.
Normal Helva with Pistachios
Un (= flour) Helva with Walnuts
Irmik (= semolina) Helva with pine nuts
Fırın (= oven) Helva
Köpüklü (= foamed) Helva
Höşmerim
Höşmerim is a Turkish dessert popular in the Aegean, Marmara, Trakya and Central Anatolia regions of Turkey. It is sometimes called peynir helva (= cheese halva). It is generally consumed after a meal as a light dessert and may be topped with ice cream, honey or nuts. Höşmerim has been served for 55 years as a commercial product in the markets and pastry shops. However, most of its manufacture occurs on a small scale. Recipes and methods may differ from one region to another. Traditional recipes include fresh unsalted cheese, semolina and powdered sugar. Commercially produced höşmerim may include cream, egg and riboflavin in addition to the traditional ingredients for the homemade varieties.
Kabak Tatlısı
Kabak Tatlısı is a popular Turkish dessert made from pumpkin that’s candied in a simple sugar syrup and then garnished with lemon juice and walnuts. It is a prevalent sweet across many regions in Turkey – the most popular being Istanbul, in the Marmara Region. It’s found on the menus of the majority of restaurants in Istanbul as well as being favored fare to have at home as part of a traditional Turkish family meal. As with so many other Turkish recipes, kabak tatlısı is a familiar dessert in many other parts of the world such as Syria, Lebanon, the Balkans, Armenia and Israel. Its widespread popularity dates back to the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires. Locals in the Sakarya region describe Turkish pumpkin desserts as being “Food of Heaven”, and they claim that the flat and fertile land produces the best pumpkins in Turkey. Some of their heaviest have been around the 200 lb mark. With harvest being in the fall, it’s not surprising that this dish is more commonly enjoyed throughout the cooler months. It’s also one of the main reasons why different seasonal spices are added. One of the most poignant traditional Turkish holidays is Şeker Bayramı (sugar holiday.) This marks the end of Ramadan. Kabak tatlısı and other popular sweet dishes are consumed during this celebration, which is more commonly known as Eid al-Fitr in other Muslim countries. Turkish people also believe eating Kabak Tatlısı will bring them blessings in abundance for the coming year. Which is why it can always be found on the table at New Year’s Eve, ready to be eaten as the New Year is embraced by the whole household. Kabak Tatlısı is also often eaten in the afternoon, between meals or with a Turkish tea or coffee. The simplicity of the method of cooking means this dessert can equally be enjoyed as the last part of a main meal or as a light snack.
Sütlü Kabak Tatlısı (= with milk)
Kadayif
Kadayif, also called angel hair, is a sweet pastry from the Balkan and Oriental regions. Kadayif is made from fine threads of dough with a filling of almonds or walnuts and sugar syrup. The filling is seasoned with cinnamon and cloves and wrapped in the threads of the dough. The history of Kadayıf in Ottoman and Turkish cuisine, Ottoman palace cuisine and traditional Turkish cuisine dates back to the Seljuk times. During the Seljuk and Anatolian principalities, Kadayif was added to the list of dishes served in soup kitchens and the records in the kitchen registers called "Berayi Hassa" indicate that Kadayif was one of the Sultan's preferences. Kadayıf is made by mixing flour and water into thin strands of dough and is consumed as a dessert in most countries in the Balkans, Turkey and the Middle East. The word kadayif comes from the Arabic word "kadife" (= velvet). Another dessert from Kadayıf is Künefe. In southeastern Turkey and the Arab countries, it is usually made with unsalted cottage cheese inside. See also Künefe.
Kahramanmaraş-Dondurma
The local Osman Ağa from Maraş sold the bulbs of the wild orchid Salep to the Ottoman palaces and their noble villas. A day after the sale, the leftover salep was mixed with sugar and milk and stored. When he checked the next day, he noticed a change in the consistency. He observed that the mixture of milk, sugar, and salep increased in density and elongated like chewing gum. After he and many people around him tried and liked this new food, the food known as "Karsambaç with Salep" became known as Kahramanmaraş ice cream after three generations. The main characteristic of Kahramanmaraş ice cream is the use of goat milk in its production. The milk is added first with salep and then with sugar, mixed well, cooled to -6 ° C and offered for consumption after 6-8 hours. The ice cream contains vitamins A, B, C, D and E as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron and zinc. Today the Kahramanmaraş ice cream is produced in 50 different types and flavors and sold at home and abroad.
Kalburabastı
One of the most famous desserts of the Thrace region, the Kalburabastı dessert is one of the most popular desserts due to its taste and ease of preparation. Kalburabastı or Kalburabasma are syrup-soaked baked goods with different looks. They are among the most popular specialties that are prepared during the sugar festival after the fasting month of Ramadan. Kalburabasti is derived from the Arabic word "kalbur" (= sieve) and literally means "pressed into the sieve". This gives it the typical surface with the knobs. The dessert is usually served to guests with walnuts and sorbet. It also goes great with tea and coffee.
Kalbur (= sieve)
Kalburabastı
Katmer
Katmer is consumed in a sweetened form in Turkey and especially in Gaziantep. Rumor has it that the dessert's roots go back to the Armenians. This dessert, which is easy to prepare but difficult to maintain its consistency, is called the groom's dessert by the people of Gaziantep and goes back to the following story. On the morning of the wedding, Katmer is offered to the groom for breakfast and at the same time a tray of Katmer is sent to the girl's house by the groomsmen. On this basis, Gaziantep residents usually consume katmer in the morning hours. That is why there is no more Katmer for lunch and dinner. The residents of Gaziantep believed in a long and happy married life for the two young people. The perfect harmony of pistachios, cream and crispy batter are the essential ingredients of the Katmer dessert. Although the materials used in it and their structure are similar to baklava, the taste of katmer is different and lighter. Sugar is used in Katmer, but not in the form of a thick syrup like in baklava. The pistachios and the masters originally come from Gaziantep and give the katmer a unique taste in this region.
Kaymakçina
It is a milk-made dessert made by Turks, Albanians and Macedonians in Macedonia and Kosovo. Although little known outside of the Balkans, refugees in Turkey have grown in popularity in recent years. Its main components are milk and eggs. It is cooked in the oven by mixing milk and eggs. It is a kind of dessert in which the ratio of milk and egg to one another and the cooking time are very sensitive. Because of this, it's a dessert that is difficult to prepare. The capital of Sweet is known as Gostivar. In 1950 Macedonia and the Turks and Albanians in Kosovo in Turkey began to emigrate to Turkey in some bakeries and cafes in the densely populated cities and refugee districts.
Kazandibi
Description - see Tavuk Göğsü
Kemal Paşa
Kemal Paşa tatlısı is a Turkish dessert dish. It originates from the district of Mustafa Kemalpaşa, Bursa, in Turkey. Traditionally it is made using a cheese variety that is particular to the region. The dessert is prepared from a dough of flour, unsalted cheese, semolina, egg, water and baking powder. The dough is formed into small balls that are fried and then boiled in syrup. It can be eaten fresh or dried. In dried form it is often packaged in boxes of 24-50 portions. It is served with cream in winter and with ice cream in summer.
Keşkül
Keşkül is a high-calorie dessert made from milk that was then distributed to the poor because it was very filling. Keşkül is the name of the container obtained by processing the coconut. The story of Keşkül, which occupies an important place in Ottoman cuisine, taught the rulers the following: Ottoman judges and dervishes, who attached great importance to the justice and peace of the people, mingled with the people as beggars at certain times. In this way, they wanted to see people's situation and understand their problems. The money they collected was collected in these bins. The money collected in the Keşkül was given to the Imâret (= almshouse) and they in turn distributed the food to the poor. The desserts made in this way got the name of the container in which the money was collected - Keşkül.
Prepared coconut shell
Keşkül
Künefe
Description - see Kadayif
Lokma
The word Lokma comes from the Arabic word "lukma" and means "mouthful" or "morsel". The Lokma is offered in Turkey at charitable events. In addition, it is served free on special occasions such as weddings, engagements, and circumcisions. The Izmir Lokma differs from the Saray Lokma in its shape and portioning. Izmir Lokma is made round with a hole in the middle and served in 3 pieces. The Saray Lokma, on the other hand, is round and served in 6 pieces. The batter for both donuts is identical and is made with salt, sugar, yeast and flour. Lokma has been reinterpreted for some time and it is filled with chocolate and cake cream as well as various ingredients such as Nuts served.
Izmir Lokma
Saray Lokma
Saray Lokma with glaze
Lokum
Lokum or Turkish Delight is a sweet made from a syrup made from jellied starch and sugar. To make Lokum, the syrup is boiled for several hours, then left to stand until it is firm. The mass is cut into pieces and rolled in powdered sugar or desiccated coconut so that it no longer sticks to the fingers. Common additions to flavor the syrup are the juice of lemons, oranges and pomegranate as well as rose water or orange blossom water. Chopped nuts, almonds, pistachios or pureed apricots are sometimes added. Today's distribution extends over the entire domain of the former Ottoman Empire in the Middle East and the Balkan countries, but also beyond (Azerbaijan, Armenia). The word Lokum is derived from the Turkish word "Lokma", which means something like "bite" or "bite". Lokum is sometimes referred to as Turkish honey in German, but this also applies to other oriental desserts, e.g. white nougat. The recipe or variants of it have been known since the 9th or 14th century. The recipe we know today is often attributed to the pastry chef Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir, founder of the Hacı Bekir company, which was founded in 1777 in what was then Constantinople.
Mesir Macunu
Mesir Macunu is a Turkish paste made from a mixture of 41 different herbs and herbs and honey. It has become a tradition to distribute this paste to the population every year at the beginning of spring. The invention of the paste goes back to the first half of the 16th century in the city of Manisa. Hafsa, the wife of the Ottoman Sultan Yavuz Sultan Selim and mother of Suleyman the Magnificent, fell ill during a stay in the western Turkish city of Manisa. The Sultan commissioned the renowned physician Merkez Efendi to find a cure for his wife's illness. He mixed a paste of herbs and honey and sent it to the sultan's wife, whereupon she recovered. It was then decided that every sick person should receive the paste. To ensure distribution, the viscous herbal honey was wrapped in paper and thrown from the minarets in the form of candies so that people could collect them in small packages. Mesir Macunu is now made up of the following substances: ginger, zedoary, white turmeric, tartar cream, kismis (sultana grape), tailed pepper, galangal, coconut, anise, allspice, rosin, saffron, china root, mustard, clove, indigo, licorice extract, theriac, yellow myrobalans, fennel, Cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, black cumin oil, rhubarb, citric acid, cardamom, vanilla, sugar, concentrated grape must, lemon peel and orange peel.
Pişmaniye
One of the oldest and most interesting Turkish sweets is probably the pismaniye, which was never introduced to Europe. The oldest Turkish name "bîşmenî" already indicates that it probably comes from Persia and it is still produced in parts of Iran and Iraq today. It even made it to China, where there is a version called the "beard of the dragon". It was mentioned as early as the first half of the 15th century in a recipe book by the physicist Şirvani. The methods of making pismaniye, which consists of extremely thin threads, are very complicated and time-consuming. It is all the more astonishing that this candy was mostly made at home, rarely by professional confectioners. Until a few years ago, this dessert was offered all over Turkey when visitors were invited on winter evenings. Often the men then showed their virtuosity in drawing the sugar. These were often dusted with flour to prevent the individual threads from sticking together. Although Pişmaniye is often compared to cotton candy, apart from its structure, there is hardly anything comparable. While Turkish pastry art like Lokum and Baklava have never gone out of style, other sweets have fallen by the wayside in this chocolate-dominated world. Now traditional sweets are becoming increasingly important again. "Tatlı yiyelim, tatlı konuşalım" is a Turkish proverb. Let's eat sweet, let's talk sweet.
Revani
Revani is one of the indispensable desserts in Turkish cuisine. The root of the Revani dessert comes from the Ottoman period. Revani was first made by the palace chefs in honor of the conquest of Yerevan and Armenia and was named "Revani" because of the victory of Yerevan. In some regions, the term yoghurt or sponge dessert is used instead of Revani. Revani is a type of dessert that is made by soaking the dough in sugar syrup. It is available with different ingredients such as walnut, ice cream, poppy seeds, cream and even spinach, giving it different flavors. Revani is preferably made with orange, a fruit of the winter months, to greet guests at home in the cold winter months with a fragrant, orange-colored Revani.
Sütlaç
The word Sütlaç originally comes from "sütlü aş" (= milk soup) or "sütlü pirinç" (= rice pudding) and is already used in the 15th century in the inscription "Divan-ü Lügat-it Türk" (= first Turkish dictionary) under the Name "Uwa" mentioned. Every year on August 9th, the day is celebrated as Sütlaç Günü (= milk rice day). The dessert is made with rice, milk and sugar and garnished with nuts and cinnamon. Rice pudding is a traditional dish that is served for dessert in almost every region of the world. The story behind it is pretty interesting. Allegedly, a sweetened milk soup was made for a person with a troubled stomach. After a while it turned into rice pudding. Rumor has it that rice pudding is a Central Asian dessert and came to our country via the Silk Road.
Sütlaç
Fırın (= oven) Sütlaç
Sütlü Nuriye
Sütlü Nuriye is a Turkish dessert similar to baklava, but instead of syrup it contains milk, which gives a whitish look to the dessert. The name means "Nuriye with milk". According to the owner of "Güllüoğlu Baklava" the desserts origins go back to the 1980 Turkish coup d'état during which a military officer purchased baklava and found the price to be too high. The officer complained to İsmail Hakki Akansel, who had been appointed Mayor of Istanbul in the aftermath of the coup. Akansel responded by setting a price ceiling on baklava, which was announced during Ramadan. The pastry shop was unable to make the traditional baklava recipe profitable under the new pricing rules. To lower the cost of making baklava, pastry chefs substituted hazelnuts for pistachios and added milk to increase the weight of each tray of baklava. The new recipe became known as Sütlü Nuriye.
Tavuk Göğsü
Tavuk Göğsü is a meal made from chicken, rice, honey and saffron. Over time, meat was only used on request. Tavuk Göğsü was first made by the Romans. Later it passed to Byzantium and the Turks. At the end of the Middle Ages, the production of Tavuk Göğsü in Europe declined and ended. The Turks accepted this dessert and also invented the kanzandibi (= pot base). This dessert, first made in villas and palaces, later spread very quickly and was accepted by the public. The preparation is similar to Tavuk Göğsü, but no chicken is used and the bottom is deliberately lightly burned when cooking. The dark surface of the dessert and the name suggest that the dessert was scraped from the bottom of the pot. Cinnamon is an indispensable accompaniment to the dessert, adding flavor to the dessert and was used for decoration. See also Kazandibi.
Zerde
Zerde is a Turkish dessert, a kind of sweet pudding made from rice that is colored yellow with saffron. It is a celebratory dish popular at weddings, birth celebrations, and during the first ten days of the holy month of Muharram. Zerde comes from the Persian word "zard", which means yellow. In Turkey, Zerde is very popular in regions where rice fields are traditionally found. In Edirne a Province of Eastern Thrace, which provides nearly half of the country's rice production, Zerde is a popular dessert. The flavors of Zerde vary slightly from region to region in Turkey, depending on the local fruits. Zerde is made with water and is different from Sütlaç (see above), which is made with milk. The earliest records go back to the circumcision festival of princes Cihangir and Bayezid of Sultan Suleyman I - the Magnificent - in 1539. Zerde was not only served during the 13-day celebrations of circumcision, but also at festivals that were celebrated in different parts of the world. While it was initially offered as a funeral dish, it was later served as a dessert. On special holidays and celebrations, the intense colors, the lightness and the dessert are reminiscent of sun and gold.
