I haven’t been able to share a new recipe with you for a long time because I embarked on a journey to realize one of my dreams six months ago. Today, I want to talk to you about this dream alongside a recipe. When I decided to share these with you, a phrase used in Turkey came to my mind: “Let’s eat sweets, let’s talk sweet.” So I think one of the most fitting recipes for this story will be a lemon Turkish delight recipe. Let us start to make Turkish delight, eat sweets and talk sweet together.

I lived in Germany for a long time. Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions, the constantly prevailing negative political atmosphere in the country, and many other reasons, I realized that I did not feel happy there and I needed to make a change. Last year, in November,  I packed my suitcase and realized one of my dreams.

As a sun lover, three years ago, while looking for a country with plenty of sunny days, I came to Italy. Like many others who come to Italy, it didn’t stop with just one visit, and I went to Italy four times within three years. I visited Como, Milan, Florence, Rome, and the regions of Puglia that I admire, including Bari and Polignano A Mare.

“Enjoying” Napolitan pizza on the street stairs

While in the Puglia region near Bari, it would have been unthinkable as a food blogger not to taste the famous pizza from L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, where people wait for 1-2 hours for a pizza. Of course, I didn’t wait that long; I decided to opt for takeout instead. With a box of pizza in hand, I found a place to eat on the stairs just fifty meters from the pizzeria, on Via Cesare Sersale street, eagerly anticipating tasting the pizza that is Napoli’s oldest, social media sensation, and the one people wait for hours at their doorstep. I don’t mean to be rude, but I must say I was disappointed. The pizza dough was too soggy due to the excessive juiciness of the tomatoes used in the pizza, and I didn’t like the taste of the cheese. As they say, tastes are subjective.

Turkish Delight recipe meets Sorrento’s giant lemons

When you come to Italy, you realize that it’s a country with endless places to explore, and you never get tired of traveling. As a food blogger who loves to travel, what do you think when you’re in Naples? “While in Naples, you must visit Sorrento, which is just half an hour away, famous for its lemons and limoncello.” I immediately hopped on a train and set off for Sorrento. Don’t worry, I won’t turn this into a travelogue.

Sorrento is a small, touristy town filled with colorful shops, reminiscent of the Puglia region. I wandered through its narrow streets dominated by shades of blue and yellow, tried homemade limoncello and pistachio cream liqueur. And then, when I saw the almost head-sized Sorrento lemons, I decided it was time to share this recipe with you after a long time.

After traveling through many cities in the most beautiful country in the world, at least in Europe, I returned to Como, where I have relocated. Are you ready for a Lemon Turkish Delight recipe inspired by Sorrento’s lemons?

The most asked questions about Turkish Delight

Is Turkish delight healthy?

Since it contains a lot of sugar, it cannot be said to be very healthy. As long as you don’t eat it every day, there’s no problem. Also, since we use one cup of lemon juice in this recipe, it contains beneficial vitamins and minerals for your body.

Turkish Delight is not suitable for diabetic patients. If you are not a diabetic but still want to watch your blood sugar, consume Turkish Delight with nuts. Mixing sugar with natural fats will prevent your blood sugar from rising rapidly. There are studies on this matter.

Is Turkish delight vegan?

Yes, Turkish Delight is vegan. Original Turkish Delight does not contain animal gelatin or rennet. Therefore, it is suitable for vegans.

Is Turkish delight halal?

Yes, Turkish Delight is halal.

Is Turkish delight from Turkey?

Lemon Turkish delight recipe

Turkish delight ingredients

Original Turkish delight is traditionally made with sugar, water, starch, and the juice of the desired fruit. In addition to these basic ingredients, many different components specific to Turkish delight’s texture and flavor may be added.

Turkish delight which is called lokum, is typically sweetened with nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, or almonds, and natural essences like rose water or orange blossom water are added for aroma. These ingredients are cooked together using a special method and are then cut into cubes or rectangles before being served. Traditionally, powdered sugar is sprinkled on top to finish and prepare it for consumption. Let’s make turkish delight.

How to make authentic Turkish delight?

This lemon Turkish delight recipe is without gelatin, food coloring, and additives. You do not have to use unhealthy ingredients to make Turkish delight.

Prepare the sugar syrup

Make the lemon sauce

Combine the sugar syrup with the lemon sauce

Add the mixture of lemon juice and cornstarch to the boiling sugar water and immediately reduce the heat to medium.

Cook the mixture

Stir continuously for 25-30 minutes until the mixture thickens. Do not stop stirring, otherwise the mixture will stick to the pan.

Add lemon zest and and turmeric for the color and taste.

After boiling the mixture for 20 minutes, add half a tablespoon of grated organic lemon zest and a pinch of turmeric and give it a good mix.