Contrary to popular belief, the most well-known sweets associated with Turkish Cuisine are Turkish Delights (Lokum) and Baklava. Actually, they are not the main Turkish deserts. It’s only an impression that was created by the guys who would love to sell nylons.
Kadayıf is a common Turkish dessert that employs shirred yufka. There’re different type of kadayıfs depending on regions. Tel kadayıf is the most famous one.
The most popular milk-deserts are sütlaç, muhallebi, kazandibi and tavukgöğsü. They’re mostly made with starch and rice and never use butter or eggs.
Helva is made by pan-sautéing flour or semolina and pine nuts in butter before adding sugar, and milk or water, and briefly cooking until these are absorbed. The preparation of helva is conducive to communal cooking. People are invited for “helva conversations” to pass the long winter nights.
Güllaç, consists of very thin large dough layers put in the milk and rose water, served with pomegranate seeds and walnut. It’s typically served at Ramadan.
Aşure is a kind of sweet soup which includes boiled beans, wheat and dried fruits. Legend says that it was first cooked on Noah’s Ark and contained seven different ingredients in one dish. Anatolian people still cook it during the month of Muharrem.
Photo Credits: Reena Mahtani