What is Turkish Delight?

[Jazzmatazz49]

I've been reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to my second graders. In the story, a little boy eats way too much Turkish Delight. What is it exactly? This is a British author, and I'm not always sure what some of the foods are. I would like to be able to explain it a little better to my class!!

[rosie_one]

Turkish delight is a gellike fruit candy, usually cut in squares and covered in powdered sugar. Pretty tasty stuff.

[Gilgamesh37]

LOL! The minute I saw this thread title, I knew someone somewhere must be reading LW&W. I remember being intrigued about Turkish Delight (and SO disappointed when I actually had some and it wasn't the rapturous wonder I had imagined! It wasn't even chocolate!) If you've ever had Aplets & Cotlets (can't even remember the company name) that's pretty close to Turkish Delight, though I think classic Turkish Delight is actually flavored with rose water and not the apples and apricots in the above.

EDITED to say hey look, I found a picture. This is from the Aplets & Cotlets site, but it gives you the general idea (although true Turkish Delight doesn't have a nut in the middle)

[valchemist]

there was a recipe for it in the December Bon Appetit, I think. but it isn't on the epicurious website.

[Alethea]

The turkish delight I've had (though it's been a while) is a chewy, sweet candy, and was usually amber in color. It's sometimes flavored with citrus, dates or nuts, or roseflower water. It's kind of the consistency of the inside of jelly beans. I remember it being coated in powdered sugar.

[claire797]

Ha! I remember reading The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe and wondering the same thing.

If you have a Cost Plus/World Market nearby, you can pick up a bar of Turkish Delight there.

...hopefully, the kids won't be as disappointed as I was. The book makes it sound so much better.

[Jazzmatazz49]

Thank you all so much!!!!

My class will love the picture. I don't think I can buy it around here, but at least we can see what it looks like! I guess when I searched, I gave up too early. It doesn't sound nearly as good as a Snickers bar, but I guess a child could get excited about it.

[AdGirl]

cadbury also has a candy called "turkish delight." dh says it's kind of a jelly-like substance covered in chocolate (of course, since it's cadbury!)

oogie!

[claire797]

Originally posted by AdGirl
cadbury also has a candy called "turkish delight." dh says it's kind of a jelly-like substance covered in chocolate (of course, since it's cadbury!)

oogie!

That's the brand they sell at World Market.

[AD]

I loved that book and the movie, and I enjoyed even more, reading the six remaining books in the series. I remember making Turkish Delight a few times with my grandmother about ten years ago. It was very sweet, and its texture was a cross between Jell-O and gumdrops. I actually still have the recipe if you are interested. It was from a workbook that I found in a school supply store.

[Jazzmatazz49]

I actually still have the recipe if you are interested. It was from a workbook that I found in a school supply store.

I would LOVE the recipe! The most fun we have is making recipes in class. Thanks!

[Lauren]

When I was young my Grandmother would buy it at Middle Eastern markets. I always liked it, but then again I'm a Swedish Fish, jelly bean, gum drops sort of gal!

[jrichards]

I knew about this from the book LW&W as well, and was so excited to get a chance to try it while in London. Blech! I thought it tasted like soap, and could not stand it. I first saw it in a vending machine in the tube in London, and when it tasted so terrible, I figured that it had been sitting around for a long time, and was off. Bought some new stuff at the store, and the same thing!

This is one of my DHs favorite candies though from growing up (England/South Africa). My MIL sent over some last year around Christmas for DH, and I brought in samples for people to try at work. No one here liked it either, and they all picked up on the soap reference too.

Jennifer

[lonetree1353]

I found this picture at http://www.showcook.co.za/giving.htm

[Natasha]

I'm another who had very high hopes for Turkish Delight, based on how delectable it sounded in LW&W. I finally got to try some at a family friend's house, when I was about 8, and I couldn't believe how it turned out to taste. So disappointing, especially as it looked so pretty!

Natasha

[Kahlico]

Originally posted by Gilgamesh37
LOL! The minute I saw this thread title, I knew someone somewhere must be reading LW&W.

ROFL I thought the very same thing, especially since I'm reading The Horse and His Boy (book 5 in the series) for the zillionth time.


~emilie~

[AD]

You will need:

2 heavy 2-quart pans
1 8x8-inch square pan
2 burners or hot plates
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup liquid fruit pectin
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup jelly (apple, currant, apricot, raspberry, peach, quince or any other desired flavor)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
powdered sugar for dusting
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, optional
1/2 cup broken pistachio or other nuts, optional

1. Put water and fruit pectin in a 2-quart pan.
2. Stir in the baking soda. It will foam.
3. In the other 2-quart pan, put the corn syrup and sugar.
4. Place both pans on high heat. Stir alternately for 3 to 5 minutes or until foaming has ceased in the pectin pot and boiling is active in the other pot.
5. While stirring the corn syrup mixture, slowly pour the pectin mixture into it. Stir, boil, and add the jelly.
6. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and, if desired, lemon rind and nuts.
7. Pour into 8x8-inch pan and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours.
8. When firm, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

I also saw this recipe along with about 15 others at http://www.steaky.org/recipes/middle...n/default.html

[Jazzmatazz49]

Thank you all. I'm glad I checked back! I don't know if we'll try it or not, but we might. It's nice to at least tell the kids what the heck Turkish Delight looks like and what it's made of. I would never have figured it to be this,since Edmund sold his soul for the stuff.