Strawberry Rhubarb Lokum, Turkish Delight

I’m not a huge candy lover.  I don’t like overly sweet treats (Nanaimo Bars make my teeth ache!) But I will put those feellings aside when it comes to a small taste of Turkish Delight!

What is Lokum?

Have you ever tried Lokum? Or Turkish Delight, as most of us know it.  It is the most delightful little confection.  Usually very sweet, and very chewy, and covered in icing sugar, think of them as gummies on steroids! Here is what one Turkish website, Turkey For You has to say:

Turkish Delight is a flavored sweetmeat or a candy, prepared from starch and sugar, filled with dry fruits, honey or nuts. It has a sticky texture and very often Arabic gum is used as a binder. The Turkish Delights come in cubes with powdered sugar sprinkled on them.

Although Turkish Delights may contain many exotic fillings, the staid and simple rosewater is still the most preferred. It is this rosewater, which gives the candy its trademark blushing pink color. (I think food colouring does this) It can be had as an accompaniment to tea or coffee or it can be enjoyed all by itself too.

The melt-in-the-mouth Turkish Delight was originally a royal dish, prepared and served exclusively for the regal palette. But now it has penetrated not only every nook and cranny in Turkey, but has also made a name for itself all over the world.

Do not confuse Lokum with the Turkish Delight Candy Bar!

Here in Canada we grew up on a candy bar called Turkish Delight.  If this is the only exposure you have ever had, please accept my apologies.  While the inside is sticky and chewy, it is nothing like the real thing you can find in Turkey.  The candy bar is so sweet with the rose flavour, stiff and chewy and covered with sweet milk chocolate, which after the first few bites, makes it more than enough.  When I finally had the opportunity to try my first traditional and authentic lokum, my sweet tooth world changed, for the better.  I suddenly realized that what I knew or called turkish delight was such an inadequate representation.  I suddenly found out that it could be delicate, tender, full of flavours and textures, and is the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of Turkish coffee.

The Basics of Lokum

A simple syrup made with sugar, water and lemon juice is combined with a thick pasty slurry of cornstarch, cream of tartar and water.  After they come together and cook down into a thick smooth paste, rose water and a drop or two of pink food colouring are added.  If left uncoloured, the paste has a lovely golden hue. 

Then the thick candy is poured into a baking dish to firm up.  Usually plastic cling wrap lines the baking dish, but some sites suggest using parchment with a little oil (if you do this, I would suggest almond or hazelnut oil, since the flavour may affect the final cubes). 

Once firmed up (give it at least 6 hours to overnight) the entire candy is turned out onto a cutting board.  You will use a sharp knife to cut the candy into cubes.

Traditionally,  lokum cubes are tossed in a combo of icing sugar and cornstarch to keep the pieces from sticking to each other.  But I have been playing with other options.  Sesame seeds, finely chopped pistachios and even dried rose petals all make for great outer coatings. Next time I want to try toasted coconut!!

Chopped nuts can be added to the paste before it sets up.  Or even pieces of dried fruit, like fig or apricot.

How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Lokum

You will replace the water used in the cornstarch slurry with juice for this version of lokum.  Pomegranate juice (not molasses) Orange Juice, even raspberry all work great.  I would love to try apple or pear juice next time.  But for today I decided to make a simple flavoured juice/water out of rhubarb and strawberries. Using this will create a natural pink hue, removing the need to for food colouring.  All you need to do is place two cups of chopped rhubarb, 1 cup of chopped strawberries, 3/4 cup of sugar and 2 1/4 cups of water.  Cook over medium heat till the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let it cool down.  Then just strain it all through a fine mesh strainer.  The juice will be perfect in the lokum recipe.  The other reason I like this version, it’s less sweet than some recipes.  The tang from the rhubarb shines through, even with the outer coating of sugar and cornstarch.

Make the strawberry rhubarb juice in the morning and let it cool.  Then get ready to make the lokum.  Two pots, and a plastic line baking pan, along with a whisk and silicone spatula.  In the one pot you will  make the syrup.  In the other you will prepare the cornstarch, juice, water and cream of tartar.  Whisk till well blended and lumps are reduced.  When the syrup has almost reached 240F (a candy thermometer is your friend, but you can also use the Roll Test, found here) you will start the heat under the cornstarch slurry.  Medium heat to get it going.  And once the syrup is ready, pour it into the cornstarch slurry.  Keep stirring over medium low heat (adjust if necessary) till it becomes very thick and almost gluey.  It will pull away from the pot.  Transfer to the lined baking dish to set up.

What Size of Pan to have the Lokum set up in?

Depending on the amount of paste you have created, an 8 x 8; 8 x 10; 9 x 4 or thereabouts is best.  Anything too large, and the finished lokum will be very thin.  Anything smaller, and the lokum will be very thick and may not set correctly.  Let them set for at least 8 hours, or ideally overnight. When it comes to cutting them into cubes, I would suggest that the sweeter the flavour, the smaller the cubes should be.  This way you aren’t committing to too much sweetness in one go.  Aim for a cube around 1-1 1/2 inches (2.5 to 4 cm)  This is a great size for getting a good amount out of the sheet.  

Coating the Lokum

Have an equal amount of icing sugar and cornstarch blended together in a bowl (you can even use a freezer bag to toss the cubes in)  Coat all sides of the lokum and then place on a baking sheet dusted with more of the icing sugar and cornstarch.  Let them dry out here.  You may find that some lokum sweat and seem to absorb the coating, leaving them ‘naked’ again.  Let them all sit out for another 8 hours and then coat again.  Store them in a well ventilated paper box or perforated container.  If sealed, they may sweat again.  Leave them at room temperature, they’ll be fine for a few days.  For these lokum today, I tossed them all in the sugar cornstarch blend, and then let them sit before covering some in chopped pistachios and rose petals, or sesame seeds.  I did this just to give a bit of sweetness to the finished cubes, since the rhubarb is present.

Disclaimer: I stick to the use of cornstarch. Gelatin recipes are not the original way, but rather a modern addition. Cornstarch will also mean that these stay a vegan treat.  My other disclaimer, as I have mentioned in the past, you should really be baking or making recipes like this with a scale for weighing out the ingredients.  Most good recipes like this come from countries outside North America.  It is only in North America where recipes are written out in measures of volume rather than weight.  But this is not an accurate way of measuring.  If you want to follow a recipe successfully, go by the weighed measurements.  The volume measurements are approximate and vary from recipe developer to recipe developer.  

Have fun making these.  Don’t get frustrated if your first attempt is a little wonky.  Getting the paste to the correct consistency may seem daunting.  But if for some reason, it doesn’t come together smoothly, seems really lumpy etc, spread it out anyway.  Use a silicone spatula warmed with hot water to smooth the paste out and smooth out the top.  Let it set, and you may be surprised at how it still works out.

For some great insights, here is a go-to Authentic Lokum link.  Enjoy!  If you want to enjoy a cube with breakfast, you should try it with Sahlep, a fantastic Middle Eastern frothy milky hot morning drink flavoured with rose water and cinnamon and topped with cinnamon and pistachios!  Perfect partner. 

Love Jen

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Strawberry Rhubarb Lokum

Lokum or Turkish Delight are the perfect little treat with coffee. Simple ingredients and a bit of stirring brings this lovely exotic confection together. These are flavoured with an easy to whip up Strawberry Rhubarb 'juice'. Rolled in icing sugar or chopped nuts finishes these off perfectly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Turkish

Keyword cornstarch, icing sugar, lokum, pistachios, strawberry rhubarb

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Cooling Time 8 hours

Servings 24 cubes

Ingredients

Syrup

• 375 ml water, or 1 1/2 cups
• 800 g sugar, or 14 oz or approximately 3 3/4 cups
• 30 ml lemon juice, or 2 tbsp

Lokum mix

• 160 g corn starch, or 5 1/2 oz
• 15 g cream of Tartar, or 1 3/4 tsp
• 500 ml strawberry rhubarb juice, or 2 cups (in recipe below) See Notes
• 250 ml water, or 2 cups

For Garnish

• 50 g chopped pistachios, or 2 oz or approx 1/2 cup
• 20-30 g organic rose buds, or 1 oz or approx 1/2 cup
• or
• 50 g Icing sugar, or approx 1/2 cup
• 50 g corn starch, or approx 1/2 cup

Strawberry Rhubarb 'Juice'

• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar

Instructions

To make the Strawberry Rhubarb Juice

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium heavy bottomed pot and cook over medium heat till the sugar dissolves.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Then remove from the heat and allow to steep till cooled down.
3. Strain through a mesh strainer and set aside.
4. Prepare a pan with cling film (plastic wrap) The pan should be about 8 x 10 (20 x 26 cm), 9 x 4 (23 x 10 cm) or thereabouts. You don't want it to small or else, it will fill up too high and the final cubes will be very thick, and may not set correctly)

Lokum Syrup

1. Put the water, sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot over medium heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring the syrup to boil and then reduce to heat to a medium simmer. Cook without stirring for about 15 to 20 m titl it has reached 240F using a candy thermometer. (Alternatively you can use the Soft Roll method to test- see the blog post for the link for testing sugar syrups.)

Lokum Mix

1. While the syrup is simmering away, combine the corn starch, cream of tartar, strawberry rhubarb juice and water in larger pot over medium low heat and whisk until completely combined (no lumps).
2. Once the syrup has reached the correct temperature stir it into the cornstarch mixture. Add the syrup a little bit at a time to the paste and keep stirring, switching to a silicone spatula or spoon. Stir regularly and let simmer on medium low heat for about 20 minutes or until it becomes a smooth and very thick paste (it should pull away from the walls of the pot)
3. Pour the mixture in to the lined baking pan and use a silicone spatula to quickly smooth out the top of the mixture.
4. Let it cool down and set for at least 6 hours. I leave it for at least 8 hours or even overnight.

Finish the Lokum

1. Mix icing sugar and corn starch with each other in a shallow bowl.
2. Turn the set lokum upside down on the counter and slice into lengths and then cubes. Aim for a cube about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size (a bit smaller or larger is fine) Cover all sides of the cubes with sugar starch mix. Alternatively use chopped pistachio-rose buds mix.
3. Keep at room temperature and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to replace the strawberry rhubarb juice with pomegranate (not molasses) or orange juice.

If you find that your cubes weep a bit and the icing sugar coating disappears, do a second coating after 8 hours. Then serve. 

Store in a container that has some ventilation, or line with paper liners. Store at room temperature.

This recipe is a riff on the Pomegranate Lokum found on the Ischta blog.