Turkish Delight-Lokum recipes by Asheeah

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus setting overnight) Cooking time: about 25 minutes

Makes about 64 small squares

25gr icing sugar

100groz corn flour

700gr/1 1/2lb caster sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tbsp powdered Agar agar

Red or pink coloring – optional

1 . Line a 20.5 (8in) square baking tin with a cling film. Sift icing sugar and 25g (1oz) of the corn flour into a small bowl. Sprinkle a little over the base and sides of the tin. Set bowl aside.

 

2 . Put caster sugar, lemon juice and 400ml water into large pan. Heat gently until dissolved – do not boil. In a small bowl, mix the remaining corn flour and agar agar with 100ml cold water, and then stir into sugar syrup(in the pan), stir with balloon whisk to break up lumps. Bring to boil, then simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, whisking often. The mixture should thicken and turn pale yellow.

 

3 . Remove from heat and whisk in a little food coloring to turn mixture into light pink (optional). Set aside for 5 min. Stir in rose water and pour into tin. Leave to set in a cool place overnight.

 

Dust a board with some reserved corn flour mixture, and then invert Turkish Delight on to it. Remove tin; peel off cling film. Cut into cubes, and then roll each gently in corn flour mixture to coat.

Let Set overnight (and more if you can).

Dusting a board with the corn flour and icing sugar mixture really helps for the jelly not to stick.

Store in an airtight container with remaining corn flour mixture at cool room temperature for up to 1 month.

To pack as gifts, sprinkle a little corn flour mixture into a bag to stop sweets sticking.