What is Turkish Delight made of?

Three centuries ago, these elastic pieces of pleasure with a floral flavor were available only to the elite.

Today, the delicious creation of the confectioners of the Ottoman Empire - Turkish delight - is considered one of the best means of preventing depression.

Turkish delight is one of the most famous oriental sweets.

What else is Turkish delight useful for, what is it made of, and is it possible to prepare a delicate delicacy at home?

According to legend, in order to please the sultan, who was tired of being content with hard oriental sweets, the Turkish confectioner of the late 18th century, Ali Mahiddin, poured a viscous mass of hot sugar syrup and starch dissolved in water into a flat mold, and when the sweet mixture froze, sprinkled it with powdered sugar and cut it into small pieces. , comfortable pieces.

Convenient pieces - this is the translation of the Turkish name Turkish delight that is most widely used. But there is another meaning - pleasure for the throat.

Soft pieces of pleasure pleased not only the fastidious Sultan, but also the numerous inhabitants of his harem, which became the reason for further confectionery experiments. Figs, nuts, honey, fruit juices, spices and even rose petals were added to the simple recipe. The form of the treat has also changed. Modern Turkish delight resembles animal figurines and fruits; it can be “rolled” into a roll, whole or two-layered.

Today there is an unimaginable number of varieties of Turkish Delight

Pleasure with benefits

Whether Turkish delight is good for the body can be judged by its components.

Water, sugar, and starch are the only ingredients in white delight and are required in other varieties.

A representative of simple sugars - glucose, which abounds in a delicate delicacy, promotes increased secretion of "happiness hormones" - endorphins, generates energy for the heart and brain, and has a positive effect on the condition of the hair.

Its tandem with another simple sugar - starch - after certain chemical metamorphoses is converted into a special substance with antiviral activity, which prevents susceptibility to colds.
Thanks to this set of "utilities", the classic white Turkish delight is not contraindicated even when breastfeeding. You need to introduce it into the diet gradually, using it in the morning and observing the skin reaction of the baby.

When using Turkish delight during pregnancy, you should be content with small "portions of pleasure" - like any sweet treat, it can cause bloating.

What else can Turkish delight contain, and how is it useful?

The more natural ingredients Turkish delight contains, the higher its benefits. Thus, the addition of nuts and honey to the recipe contributes to the activation of sexual function in men and women. Turkish delight with bergamot tones well, and with rose oil it drives away depression and restores strength. If Turkish delight is “mixed” with orange juice, its beneficial properties are determined by the antiviral activity of ascorbic acid.

Orange Juice Turkish Delight is a Great Source of Vitamin C

Knowing of limits

But still, you should not actively lean on Turkish delight: the product contains a considerable amount of “fast” carbohydrates, and its immoderate consumption threatens with a significant weight gain.
The calorie content of one cube of regular Turkish delight is 60.3 kcal; walnut - from 63 to 65 kcal. The least high-calorie pink and chocolate Turkish delight: the energy value of one soft candy "fits" in 56-59 kcal.

On average, one sweet piece contains 3 teaspoons of sugar. For this reason, nutritionists do not recommend using Turkish delight in a diet aimed at combating obesity, as well as for diabetics.

People seeking to lose weight often ask another question: is there any fat in Turkish Delight?
Its content in 100 grams of tender treats is 0.2 - 0.7 grams. Therefore, Turkish delight can become a sweet “compromise” for weight loss - eat 1-2 pieces of it in the morning instead of rich desserts with cream. The only exception is a delicacy made from carrots, which contains up to 15 grams of fat.

Often, lovers of Turkish delight doubt: is it possible to use it in fasting? All the ingredients of these fragrant sweets are exclusively of plant origin, the use of which is not forbidden even during fasting.

Cooking a delicate delicacy with our own hands

It seems that they figured out what it is - Turkish delight and what it is made of. But let's add a secret: current manufacturers often "imitate" the delicate aroma of oriental sweetness, replacing natural ingredients with synthetic dyes and flavors. And even in the homeland of delight - in Turkey - they often sin with completely unhelpful E-components. And therefore, it is more reliable to cook Turkish delight with your own hands.

But first you need to familiarize yourself with some technological tricks:

Factory-made Turkish delight contains preservatives, which is why its shelf life can reach six months. When preparing homemade treats, they are not used, and therefore it should be eaten within a few days;
To freeze the Turkish delight, it is placed in the refrigerator for 12-14 hours;
So that the sweetness does not gain moisture over time, it is first rolled in starch, and then in powdered sugar;
In addition to food ingredients, you will need 2 containers - a brass basin for making jam and an enameled cauldron.

How Turkish delight is made in the factory - see the video:

How to cook Turkish Delight at home?

It is best to start a confectionery experiment by preparing Turkish Delight as the classic Turkish recipe recommends:

Wheat or rice starch (750 gr) pour 2 cups of cool water and leave it to swell;
At the same time, we cook sugar syrup, observing the proportion for 900 grams of sugar - 2 cups of water. During its preparation, foam is formed, which should be carefully collected;
After waiting until the sugar syrup becomes completely transparent, stir the “approached” starch to a homogeneous mass and, stirring constantly, pour it into a container with syrup, which is left on fire until the sweet mass begins to lag behind its edges and walls.
When this happens, remove the container from the heat, add a small amount of diluted gelatin or gum tragacanth to the resulting brew - they will give the future delicacy lightness and tenderness;
Harmless food coloring can be added if desired;
Now is the time to stir well and pour the sweet mass onto the prepared sheet, and take it out to the cold. Cut the frozen mass into pieces, which are gently rolled in powdered sugar.

Video recipe for classic Turkish Delight:

It is easy to make Turkish Delight at home using this recipe:

Dilute 3 cups of starch in the same amount of water, stir the lumps and leave for a while;
After pouring 3 cups of sugar into another container, pour it with 3 cups of water; stirring, bring to a boil and periodically remove the foam;
When the sugar syrup becomes transparent, pour the starch solution into it, not forgetting to quickly stir the latter;
Add half a glass of peeled and halved almonds;
Stirring continuously, boil the sweet mass until it becomes thick;
Put the thickened mass on a baking sheet, and, moistening your hands with cold water, form a layer 2-2.5 cm thick;
When it cools down, cut into “convenient” pieces for you and roll each of them in powdered sugar.

Turkish delight from carrots will not make you spend a lot:

Grated on a fine grater 800 g of carrots, pour 250 g of sugar and, putting it in a saucepan, simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the juice is released. In order not to burn, you can add 3-4 tbsp. water;
Prepare and add lemon and orange zest to carrot syrup, 1 tbsp each.
Dilute 150 g of corn starch in 50 ml of cold water, break up the lumps and, combining with carrot puree, cook for a few more minutes, stirring thoroughly;
Soon the mass will turn orange and begin to thicken. As soon as she begins to “depart” from the walls of the saucepan, remove it from the stove and take care of the walnuts;
Coarsely chop them half a glass and, combining with the carrot mixture, stir with a wooden spatula;
Put the finished mass in a low layer (2-2.5 cm) in a low container covered with foil and send it to “spend the night” in the refrigerator;
In the morning, cut into "comfortable pieces" and dip each in coconut flakes or powdered sugar.

You will find a detailed recipe for carrot Turkish delight in the video:

Another delicacy that is good for the body is Protein Bars. You can read all about them

Delicious pumpkin Turkish delight in diseases of the digestive system is indicated as a sweet medicine:

Cut into large pieces 200 gr pumpkin;
Pour 400 g of sugar into a separate pan and pour it with 100 ml of water, boil until completely dissolved. Add pieces of pumpkin to the finished syrup and continue to cook over medium heat;
When the pieces of the sunny fruit become soft, remove the pan from the heat, let the sweet mass cool slightly and use a blender to turn it into a smooth puree;
Add the juice of half a lemon, mix and - again on the fire;
Dissolve 2 cups of starch in 1.5 cups of water and, getting rid of lumps, add it to the boiled puree. Don't forget to stir;
After a couple of minutes, remove the pan from the heat;
Pour the cooled puree into a low form greased with butter (up to 2.5 cm) and refrigerate for a couple of hours;
Cut the frozen mass into pieces and dip each in powdered sugar.

After preparing delicious Turkish delight and comparing its benefits and harms to the body, enjoy the pieces of pleasure without forgetting the sense of proportion.