Discover the delicate sweetness of homemade Turkish delight – soft, rosewater-infused pink sweets, lightly dusted with icing sugar and perfect for sharing or gifting.
Soft, delicately scented and beautifully pink, homemade Turkish delight is a sweet treat that looks far more complicated than it really is. With its gentle rosewater flavour and delicate coating of icing sugar and cornflour, each little square makes a lovely homemade indulgence.
This traditional-inspired Turkish delight recipe uses caster sugar, lemon juice, gelatine and cornflour to create its signature soft, chewy texture. A little rosewater adds a fragrant floral finish, while a touch of pink food colouring gives the sweets their familiar appearance.
Perfect for gifting, sharing over coffee or enjoying as an after-dinner treat, these homemade delights require just a little patience while they set. Follow the cooking steps carefully and allow the mixture to firm up naturally before cutting it into bite-sized squares.
Ingredients
For the syrup: 375 g caster sugar, juice of 1 strained lemon and 300 ml water.
For thickening: 35 g powdered gelatine, 80 g cornflour (Maizena) and 200 ml water.
For flavour: 3 tsp rosewater, a few drops of pink or red food colouring and a pinch of xanthan gum (optional).
For coating: 40 g cornflour and ¼ cup icing sugar.
Quick Method
Dissolve sugar in lemon juice and water over low heat, then bring gently to the boil. Mix gelatine and cornflour with cold water, temper with a few spoonful’s of warm syrup, then stir into the saucepan. Cook gently until thick, stir in rosewater and colour, and pour into a prepared dish. Leave to set for 6–8 hours at room temperature before cutting and dusting with cornflour and icing sugar.
Recipe Tips
Always whisk cornflour into cold water before combining with the warm syrup to prevent lumps. Use good-quality powdered gelatine and add xanthan gum sparingly, if desired. Store the coated sweets in a dry, airtight metal tin. This recipe contains gelatine and is not vegetarian.
Homemade Rosewater Turkish Delight – Step-by-Step Recipe
Ingredients
Step 1 – Sugar syrup
- 375 g caster sugar
- 1 lemon juice strained, without pulp
- 300 ml water
Step 2 – Thickener
- 35 g powdered gelatine good quality
- 80 g cornflour (Maizena)
- 200 ml water
Step 3 – Flavour and colour
- 3 tsp rosewater
- pink or red food colouring a few drops, to taste
- 1 pinch xanthan gum optional stabiliser
Step 4 – Coating
- 40 g cornflour
- ¼ cup icing sugar
Instructions
Instructions
- Lightly grease or line a small square dish. Combine caster sugar, strained lemon juice and 300 ml water in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until dissolved, then bring gently to a boil.
- In a jug, whisk powdered gelatine, 80 g cornflour and 200 ml cold water until smooth. Temper this mixture by adding up to four spoonfuls of the warm sugar syrup, one at a time, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour the tempered gelatine and cornflour mixture into the saucepan, stirring continuously. Simmer over low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently, until very thick and paste-like. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Stir in rosewater, a few drops of food colouring and the pinch of xanthan gum, if using. Pour into the prepared dish, cover and leave at room temperature for 6–8 hours, or until fully set. Do not refrigerate.
- Combine 40 g cornflour with the icing sugar. Lightly oil a knife, cut the set Turkish delight into squares, and coat each square first in cornflour and then in the cornflour–icing sugar mixture. Store in a dry, airtight metal tin.