Several pieces of Loukoumi

Loukoumi, (Greek : Λουκούμι) Turkish Delight, or lokum, (Armenian translit: lokhum, Bosnian: Rahat Lokum), is a confection made from starch and sugar. It is often flavored with rosewater or lemon, the former giving it a characteristic pale pink color. It has a soft, sticky consistency, and is often packaged and eaten in small cubes that are dusted with sugar to prevent sticking. Some recipes include small nut pieces, usually pistachio, hazelnut or walnuts.

Though enjoyed worldwide, lokum is especially familiar in Turkish, Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Greek, Cypriot, Armenian, Romanian, and Middle Eastern cuisines.

The evil White Witch gives Edmund Turkish Delight as a treat in C. S. Lewis's book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Origin

The history of lokum dates back 500 years, making it one of the oldest sweets in the world. Turkish legend has it that in his endeavor to cope with all his mistresses, a Turkish sultan summoned all his confectionery experts and ordered them to produce a unique dessert to add to the collection of secret recipes for which he was famous. As a result of extensive research lokum was born.

In 1776, during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid I, Bekir Effendi, a fully apprenticed confectioner, arrived in Istanbul from a small town in Anatolia. Bekir set up in a little shop in the center of the city. Hadji Bekir was the Willy Wonka of his day and among a people with such a sweet tooth as the Turks, he quickly won fame and fortune. Fashionable ladies began giving Turkish Delight to their friends in special lace handkerchiefs. These were also used as acts of courting between couples, as documented by traditional Turkish love songs of that era.

Lokum was unveiled to the west in the 19th century. During his travels to Istanbul, an unknown British traveler became very fond of the Turkish delicacy, purchased cases of lokum and shipped them to Britain under the name Turkish Delight. Picasso used to eat lokum on a daily basis for concentration on his work while Winston Churchill and Napoleon's favorite lokum were the ones with pistachio filling.

The long name for the sweet is rahat lokum. The etymology of the word lokum has puzzled linguists for many years; it seems to be a corruption of the Arabic word rahat-al hulkum, meaning the contentment of throat while in Ottoman Turkish it means a peice of contentment. So, the English traveler who dubbed it Turkish Delight was not far off.

Recipe

• 2 c sugar
  
• 1/2 c cornstarch
  
• 1 1/2 c water
  
• 1/2 ts cream of tartar
  
• 2 tb rosewater OR one of the following to taste:
  
• 1/2 ts rose food flavoring
  
• 1/4 c fruit juice
  
• 1 tb vanilla extract
  
• 1 tb orange extract
  
• 1 tb Creme de menthe liqueur
  
• Food coloring (optional)
  
• 1/2 c chopped toasted pistachios or almonds (optional)
  
• confectioner's sugar, granulated sugar, or desiccated coconut for dusting
  
• 1 c equals 250 ml
  
  
  

Combine sugar, 1 c water, cream of tartar, and flavoring(s) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch with remaining water, mix completely, and slowly stir into sugar mixture. Boil over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, until the mixture reaches "Firm-ball stage," or 245ºF (120ºC) on a candy thermometer. Apply non-stick cooking spray to a form (ice cube trays will do nicely), shallow pie pan, or jelly-roll pan. Pour the hot mixture into the pan or form and allow to set. When cool, release from form or cut into cubes as applicable and roll each piece in powdered sugar, granulated sugar, or coconut.

Store at room temperature in airtight container.

Note: with the exception of the sugar, cornstarch, water, cream of tartar, and cooking technique, this recipe may be greatly altered according to taste and/or occasion.

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