NON-EVIL TURKISH DELIGHT

Non-Evil Turkish Delight image

Worth It If you're anything like us, the first thing you think of when you hear "Turkish delight" is Edmund, the jerky younger brother from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe who's plied with Turkish delight by the evil White Queen. We never really had this candy growing up, and so it has a bit of a magical association. How could something be so good that it would cause you to betray your family? Well, to be fair, the queen's Turkish delight was actually magical-we can't promise the same for this. But we can promise a delightfully soft and chewy sweet that's better than any store-bought version you've encountered. Rosewater is the traditional flavoring, and is available at many specialty and gourmet stores, but feel free to replace it with the same amount of whatever pure extract you like, such as orange or vanilla. Do note that this recipe requires expert timing (don't worry: that doesn't mean you have to be fast as lightning)-read it through a couple of times before you start! It's not a difficult recipe, but if you don't have a good idea of how everything gets put together before you begin, it's easy to bamboozle yourself in the middle. Be a good Scout and be prepared!

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

Small (9" x 13") rimmed baking sheet
Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon
Candy thermometer
Large cutting board
Cooking spray or vegetable oil
3 cups (575 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (175 g) honey
1/2 cup (120 g) water
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 cup (150 g) cornstarch
1 cup (130 g) confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups (600 g) water
1 teaspoon (3 g) cream of tartar
2 1/2 teaspoons (12 g) rosewater
2 cups (300 g) shelled roasted unsalted pistachios (if you can only find them raw, check out how to toast them yourself on page 284)
2 or 3 drops red food coloring (optional)
About 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for dusting the cutting board
1/2 cup cornstarch sifted together with 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Steps:

Preparation 1. Generously coat the baking sheet with cooking spray, and set it aside.
Make the sugar syrup: Combine the sugar, honey, water, and cream of tartar in a medium-size (4-quart) saucepan, and mix with the heatproof spatula to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, and insert the candy thermometer. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 260°F/127°C (hard ball stage), about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile (keeping an eye on the sugar syrup), make the cornstarch mixture: In a large (6-quart) saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, confectioners' sugar, water, and cream of tartar to combine. Once the sugar syrup reaches 250°F/121°C (firm ball stage), place the cornstarch mixture over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with the whisk; it will thicken and boil quickly, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave the mixture on the hot burner; stir well a few times with a whisk, and set aside.
At this point, the sugar syrup should be close to 260°F/127°C (hard ball stage); when it reaches that temperature, remove it from the heat and carefully pour it into the cornstarch mixture. Stir well with the whisk to combine. Bring everything to a low boil over medium heat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook at a low simmer, stirring frequently with the spatula, until the mixture is thick and gluey and a light golden color, 30 to 45 minutes. Don't turn your back on it! You need to make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with the spatula every few minutes to prevent scorching and lumps.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the flavorings: stir in the rosewater, pistachios, and food coloring (if using).
Wearing oven mitts, immediately pour the candy into the prepared baking sheet. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the candy to prevent it from forming a skin as it cools. Allow it to cool until it has set and is firm and cool to the touch, 6 to 8 hours.
Gently peel off the plastic wrap. Dust the cutting board with the confectioners' sugar. Run the tip of a paring knife between the candy and the sheet, and gently turn the candy out onto the prepared board.
Place the cornstarch mixture in a medium-size bowl. Generously coat a sharp chef's knife with cooking spray, and use a gentle slicing motion to cut the candy into 1-inch squares. Dredge the pieces in the cornstarch mixture until well coated.
Store the Turkish delights, layered with wax paper, in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 month.
From The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook: How to Make Truly Scrumptious Candy in Your Own Kitchen by Liz Gutman & Jen King. Copyright © 2012 by Liz Gutman and Jennifer King; principal photography copyright © 2012 by Rachel Been. Published by Workman Publishing Company, Inc.