Turkish delights, also called lokum by their Turkish name, are probably the most famous sweets in the country. And they will surely have reached your city or country, as they have spread throughout the world. But do you know exactly what they are and what is their origin? In this article we tell you about it and, in addition, we suggest how to take them in Turkey and where to find them with an extra charm.
Origin of lokum or Turkish delight
It is difficult to trace the origin of lokum in Turkey. In fact, it is not clear that they arose in this country, but the great expansion of the Ottoman Empire centuries ago may have led to their integration into its culture and their spread throughout the rest of the territories. According to some theories, the name lokum would be a derivation of the
On the other hand, the term ‘Turkish delights’ would be a direct translation from English, as it seems that in the 19th century, the heyday of the British Empire, these sweets were marketed under the name “Turkish Delights“.
What are these Turkish delights like
Several characteristics are common to all Turkish delights. One of them is, precisely, its sweetness, as they are covered in icing sugar and fruit juices are usually used in their recipe. That could be an explanation of its next feature: its small size, because its concentration of sugar is so high that they are taken as small snacks, without becoming cloying. Also unmistakable is its showiness, with finishes of different colors, derived precisely from the color of the main fruit with which it is made. And last but not least is its texture: soft, like a gummy bear.
Among the essential ingredients that every lokum must have are sugar, starch (which is usually corn), orange blossom water and the natural fruit juice in question (orange, peach, raspberry… and any other that we can imagine. All this is boiled and then left to rest so that it acquires that gelatinous texture we were talking about. In addition, nuts can be added: although it is not essential, it is common to use pieces of pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts. And finally, after being cut into small cubes, they are covered with icing sugar so that they do not stick together and have an extra sweetness.
How and where to take lokum
In your walks through Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir or any other Turkish city, lokum will be omnipresent: they are the main attraction of pastry shops and sweet stalls in the bazaars. So to try them, you just have to buy them. Now, if you want to take them in a truly Turkish way, as the local population does, you can order a coffee and make sure they serve you one or two on the plate to sweeten this moment.
In addition, we include here a final suggestion: the Hacı Bekir store in Istanbul. This is a mythical pastry shop, as it is believed that it was here that the final form was given to the Turkish delight recipe, in 1777. That is the date of the founding of the store, which is currently the most famous lokum brand in Turkey. That is the reason why this place is always very busy. Its exact location is 1, Hobyar, Zahire Borsası Sk., 34112 Fatih, a stone’s throw from the Yeni Camii mosque and the Galata Bridge, in the Ancient Peninsula of the city.
