Desserts
Desserts are more than just a way to end a meal in Turkey. A new neighbour is often welcomed with a bowl of home-made sweet goodness as a gesture of friendship. A Turkish friend might take you out to share a dessert together to show that they consider you a close friend. And who can forget the month of Asure, when households all over the country make a seasonal pudding to give to their neighbours, family and friends. There is so much more to Turkish desserts for those who look a little closer - I hope you enjoy!
Apricot Morsels
I knew I liked apricots before I came to Turkey. But anyone who has tried a Turkish apricot would probably agree that apricots could be one of Turkey’s best-kept secrets...
Baked Figs
My mother has always had a special love for figs, and it has proved infectious. As the Turkish summer approaches, I catch myself checking the fig trees daily. Then one glorious day, the farmers will drive their pickup trucks into the villages and towns, selling their delicate produce by the kilo. I believe the very best way to eat figs is immediately. Or so I thought....
Baked Quince
When we first arrived in Turkey, we noticed some oddly-shaped yellow fruit for sale in the markets. It wasn’t until later that I realised these wonky-looking fruit were actually quince. And if you don’t eat quince raw but pop it in the oven for a couple of hours, it is indeed heavenly. For those lucky enough to get a hold of quince, this dessert is an absolute must-try.
Noah's Pudding
Every year as the weather starts to cool, Turkish housewives start to buy up their dried fruit and nuts for this dessert’s big night of the year: The night of Asure. Celebrated around the end of October, families will make generous quantities of this dessert and hand out portions to their neighbours and friends. The pudding comes with an interesting legend....
Lemon Syrup Cake
This simply could not be a Middle Eastern food website without a syrup cake recipe. This is one of Turkey’s favourite cakes: simple, but classic. If you prefer your cake with a little extra zing, grate the zest of 1 lemon into the cake batter. Yum.
Semolina Helva
Just a few simple ingredients, and yet such a Turkish classic. Semolina Helva is a buttery, nutty favourite loved all over the country. It’s a great dessert to learn: you can pull the ingredients from your pantry and make it at a moment’s notice for unexpected visitors. Try it and tell me what you think...
Spiced Walnut Pudding
With the very first mouthful of this dessert, I knew we had discovered something quite different. Harking from the Mardin region near the borders with Syria and Iraq, the spice mix of this dessert display the Arabic influence on the local population. It is not to everyone’s taste: the flavours are subtler and more complex than the typical desert of Western Turkey...
Pistachio Katmer Parcels
This is such a different, unique dessert. Sort of like a sweet gozleme, it is actually eaten for breakfast in Gaziantep, the region of its birth. It is a special treat for children, who will love to help you make it. Mind that little fingers don’t get burned though!
Poached Pumpkin with Walnut
As the air cools and the leaves take on their autumn hues, enormous local pumpkins start to appear in neighbourhood markets all over Turkey. Stall owners will kindly peel and chop their pumpkins into pieces ready for the locals women to take home and create sweet creations with....