Turkish delight with nuts
6 servings
170 minutes
Nut-filled rahat-lokum is a refined treat of Turkish cuisine, enveloped in the aromas of Eastern bazaars. Its history dates back to the Ottoman Empire, where it served as a symbol of hospitality and sweet life. The delicate texture of the lokum, soaked in sweet syrup with hints of vanilla and lemon, harmoniously combines with crunchy nuts to create a magical duet of flavors. It is made with love and patience: caramel syrup is combined with starch, slowly transforming into a silky mass that sets and acquires its famous softness. Rahat-lokum is not just a dessert but a culinary art that evokes nostalgia for warm evenings with a cup of tea.
1
Mix sugar and 1.5 cups of water with lemon juice. Stirring, bring to a boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes and remove from heat (the finished syrup should easily roll into balls when cooled).
- Sugar: 4 glasss
- Water: 4.5 glasss
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
2
Using a mixer or blender, gradually add water (3 cups) to mix the cream of tartar and starch. Place the mixture on the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. If lumps form, they should be removed. When the mixture boils, pour in the hot syrup in a thin stream while continuously stirring the mass.
- Cream of tartar: 1 teaspoon
- Starch: 2.5 glasss
- Water: 4.5 glasss
3
After that, reduce the heat and cook the lokum for 1-2 hours, stirring again until the mixture takes on a golden hue. Then remove the dish from the heat, add fragrant components, colorings, and nuts (if desired). Line a square baking tray, greased with odorless vegetable oil, with parchment paper, also greased with oil.
- Food coloring: 2 g
- Nuts: 0.5 glass
4
Pour the lokum mixture onto the tray, then gently shake it to distribute it evenly across the surface. Let the lokum set. Cover the tray with plastic wrap, ensuring it does not touch the surface of the lokum.
- Water: 4.5 glasss
5
Before cutting the lokum, the knife should be greased with vegetable oil. First, the lokum is cut into strips a few centimeters wide (if you find that the lokum is still too sticky, let it sit for a while longer). After each cut, the knife needs to be greased again. The strips are placed on a greased tray and left overnight. The next morning, it is cut into cubes.
- Water: 4.5 glasss
6
Mix half a cup of starch and powdered sugar in a container. Add 2-3 pieces of loukoum to the container, close it, and shake.
- Powdered sugar: 0.5 glass
- Starch: 2.5 glasss
7
Ready lokum should be stored in a container or wrapped in paper to avoid contact with air.