The Story of Sweets
The best-known Tatlı (Sweets / Desserts) associated with Turkish cuisine are Lokum (Turkish Delight) and Baklava, which gives the impression that these are the typical desserts eaten after a meal.
Of course, this is not true. Firstly, the family of Turkish desserts is much more extensive than just these two. Secondly, these are not typical desserts served as part of the main meal. Baklava and its dessert relatives, for example, are usually eaten with coffee, as a snack or after a kebab dish. Let further our knowledge of Turkish cuisine with an overview of the different sweets.
Meyve (Fruit); By far the most common dessert after a meal is fresh seasonal fruit that gets its unique flavour from abundant sunshine and old-fashioned methods of growth and transportation. Spring starts with strawberries, followed by cherries and apricots. Summer is marked by peaches, watermelons, and melons. Then all kinds of grapes ripen in late summer, followed by green and purple figs, plums, apples, pears, and quinces. Oranges, mandarins, and bananas are among the winter fruits. Mostly in Spring and Summer, these fruits are eaten fresh. Later they can be eaten fresh or dried, in compotes or made into jams and marmalades. Among the jams, the quince jam, the sour cherry jam, and the rose jam (made from rose petals, which is not a fruit!) are particularly recommended.
The Muhallebi (Milk Desserts), are Turkish cuisine’s finest contribution to the dessert family. They are one of the rare, guilt-free pudding made from starch and rice flour and originally contained neither eggs nor butter. If the occasion calls for an even lighter dessert, the milk can be omitted; instead, the pudding can be flavoured with citrus fruits such as lemons or oranges. Milk-based desserts include a variety of puddings, from the very light and subtle rosewater variety to milk pudding (Tavukgöğsü) with chicken breast strands.
Baklava (Pastries); Cereal-based desserts include baked pastries, fried yeast dough pastries and pan-fried desserts. The baked pastries can also be referred to as the Baklava family of desserts. These are paper-thin sheets of dough that are spread with butter and folded, layered or rolled after being filled with ground pistachios, walnuts or heavy cream and then baked. The different types differ in the quantity and arrangement of the nuts, the size and shape of the individual pieces and the dryness of the final product.
Lokma and Helva: The Lokma family of desserts is made by frying soft yeast dough pieces in oil and dipping them in syrup.
Helva is made with pan-sauteing flour or semolina and pine nuts in butter before adding sugar and milk or water, briefly until the ingredients are absorbed. The preparation of Helva lends itself well to communal cooking. The more familiar Tahini Helva is sold by the block in corner grocery shops.
Another dessert worth mentioning is Ekmek Kadayıfı, a piece of special bread cooked in syrup and spread with lots of walnuts and heavy cream.
Akide Şekeri (Rock Candy); Another unique sweet flavour is Akide Şekeri (Rock Candy), one of the oldest sweet delicacies from the Ottoman kitchens. It was also a symbol of the loyalty of the Janissaries and their trust in the Empire. Finally, candied chestnuts, a speciality of Bursa, are among the most wonderful nutty desserts that you can enjoy.