Conference turris::cooks

    I would be interested in the non-turquish recipe!
    
    

Here is the standard recipe for Turkish Delight, I'm still searching for a recipe
for this made the Turkish way, if anyone can help.

Dianne

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Microwave Turkish Delight - The Kiwi way.


  3 T powdered gelatine
300 ml water
1/2 tsp citric acid
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  2 cups sugar
approx 1/2 t lemon essense or strawberry essence 
yellow or red food colouring
approx 1 Tbsp each of icing sugar and cornflour

Sprinkle gelatine over 150ml of cold water in a bowl, and let it soak for 30 mins.
Place citric acid, cream of tartar and sugar with remaining 150ml boiling water
in a large ceramic or glass blowl and microwave on high or 5 mins.  Stir to 
dissolve sugar, if neccessary microwave for 1 min more to dissolve sugar.  Add
softened gelatine and cook on high for 10 mins, stirring after 5 mins.  Watch
during this cooking period that is doesn't boil over.  If the mixture looks as
if it's about to boil over, then open the door for a couple of seconds to allow
it to cool off a little, then restart.  

Pour the mixture into a tin rinsed with cold water.  Flavour with essence
and colouring.  Allow to set overnight.  Pull delight out of tin onto a board
dusted with the icing sugar and cornflour mixture.  cut into cubes and roll in
the icing sugar mixture.  Pack in an airtight container. 

NB: by pressing the knife into the icing sugar mixture, this stops the knife
from becomming sticky and hence making the delight easier to cut.  
To turn the delight from the tin, it may be necessary to put the tin into a pan
of warm water for a few seconds.

Here is another recipe for turkish delight. I got it out of a magazine
here in Israel. I haven't tried it so I don't know how close it is to
the real stuff but since it calls for gum-arabic I assume its texture
is closer to the stuff you buy in the market than that of the recipes
that use only gelatine and cornstarch.

I've translated the recipe as I found it. I'm not sure how accurate the 
recipe is - it refers to 3 cups of water and 1-1/2 cups of fruit juice,
where the list of ingredients has it the other way around. I assume
that by using just water you'll get it right... :-) (and it probably is
just a matter of personal taste anyhow).

Rahat-Lakum
-----------

1/2 kg. sugar (slightly over 1 lb.))
1-1/2 cups water
80 gr. cornstarch (2-2/3 oz.)
20 gr. gelatine (2/3 oz.)
3 cups water (or fruit juice - citrus, pomegranate, grape)
juice of one large lemon
1/2 tsp. gum-arabic granules
food coloring (optional)
2 Tbsp. rose-water or citrus-water
1-1/2 cups peeled and chopped pistachio nuts, slightly roasted
powdered sugar mixed with cornstarch

Boil the sugar with 3 cups of water. Stir the syrup every once in a while
until it becomes supple (pliable), approx. 30-40 min. on low flame.

In another pot mix the cornstarch and gelatine with 1-1/2 cups of cold water
(or fruit juice). Bring to a boil on a low flame, stirring all the time
until the mixture has a white smooth texture (this takes several minutes).

Pour very slowly, while stirring, into the hot sugar and water syrup.
Bring again to a boil. Cook uncovered on a VERY low flame for about 30 min.
Be careful the bottom doesn't burn, otherwise the Rahat's flavor will change
and it will taste like caramel. 

Add the lemon juice, gum-arabic ground with some sugar, food coloring (if
you want to color it), rose water and pistachio nuts.

Pour into a small pan (they didn't give a size - n.m.) and leave to
set for 4-5 hours. Cut into squares and roll in powdered sugar mixed
with cornstarch.

* Another option is to wait for half an hour for the mixture too cool and 
  then make long rolls of the Rahat, roll in sugar/cornstarch mixture and
  cut into 1" - 1-1/2" strips.

* My note - I believe the recipe assumes natural juices, not fruit flavored
  soft drinks. I wouldn't use one of those purple colored drinks as the grape
  juice!

Hi Naomi

*THANKS* for the recipe, sounds like what I'm after, I'll try it as soon as I can.

One question though, what on earth is gum-arabic??  Is it similar to gelatine??

Regards
Dianne

>> One question though, what on earth is gum-arabic??  Is it similar to gelatine??

I should've known this would come... :-)

Here this ingredient is called 'mastik' or 'mastika'. Its effect is similar to 
gelatine in that it has a binding effect but I don't think it works exactly like
gelatine - I think it makes a more elastic product, not just jelled as gelatine
does. The hebrew word for chewing-gum is 'mastik'...

As far as I know it's made from a gum extracted from the mastik tree. Here you get it 
in any spice store in the market. It comes in sort of "crystals" - more like large 
grains in various sizes (from the size of wheat to about the size of large beans). 

I guess in the U.S. you would find it in middle-eastern or oriental markets.

Good luck!

 - Naomi 

    >I guess in the U.S. you would find it in....
    
    Hi Naomi,
    that won't do Dianne any good, she's in New Zealand.  But I'm sure
    she'll find it. :)
    
    My herb book lists gum arabic as coming from the Acacia Senegal tree.
    I'd heard of it, but not about Gum Tragacanth, Gum Ghatti, Carob Gum,
    or Katira Gum.  Some of the uses listed were also so disgusting I
    don't think its appropriate to this conference. :)
    
    Dianne, I think the Health food store in the Shades sells gum arabic.
    
    regards,
    joyce

 >>    >I guess in the U.S. you would find it in....
 >>    
 >>    Hi Naomi,
 >>    that won't do Dianne any good, she's in New Zealand.  But I'm sure
 >>    she'll find it. :)

Oops... Sorry Dianne. I knew I should've checked again before writing that!

I didn't realize health food stores would carry it. Actually, the only other
recomendation I got was to try a drug-store (chemist)...

I'd be interested to know where you find it.

 - Naomi

	I remember "gum arabic" as a chemical in my 3rd grade chemistry set!

	ScottR