Chewy Turkish Delight With Fragrant Rosewater and Pistachios

Turkish delight is the chewy rosewater cube with pistachios, the lokum, that turns to sugar if you are not careful. I dust them well in starch so they stay separate in the box.

With straightforward steps and readily available ingredients, you can create this traditional confectionery at home, ensuring it’s as fragrant and satisfying as the ones you might find in a Turkish bazaar.

Traditional Chewy Turkish Delight with Rose and Pistachios

This Turkish delight features a smooth, chewy base flavored with fragrant rosewater and studded with crunchy pistachios, resulting in a delicately flavored treat. The whole process takes about 2 hours, including cooling time, and this recipe typically yields around 25 pieces.

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup rosewater
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting
1/4 cup cornstarch for dusting

Instructions

Prepare a Pan: Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and grease it lightly with oil.
Combine Ingredients: In a saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 cup of water until smooth. Gradually pour this mixture into the sugar mixture, stirring continuously.
Cook the Mixture: Add the lemon juice and cream of tartar to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and forms a gel-like consistency (about 20-30 minutes).

Flavor the Mixture: Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the rosewater and chopped pistachios until evenly distributed.
Set the Turkish Delight: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula. Allow it to cool at room temperature for several hours or until set (preferably overnight).
Cut and Dust: Once set, lift the Turkish delight from the pan using the parchment paper. Dust your work surface with powdered sugar and cornstarch. Cut into squares, dusting each piece with the mixture to prevent sticking.