An old favourite with a local touch
Rose fragrance, a pale pink colour and a tender bite make Turkish delight especially pretty on a tea table. The farmer’s version does not use the long traditional lokum process. Instead, it combines cornflour and gelatine, with a little golden syrup to help keep the sugar syrup smooth.
The secret is not expensive equipment, but a heavy-based saucepan, low heat and patient stirring. Once the mixture becomes thick and glossy, it must be flavoured and spooned into the tin without delay.
“Stir calmly, measure carefully and keep the rose flavour gentle.”
Why the ‘farmer’s way’ is different
Classic lokum is made mainly from sugar and starch over prolonged, gentle heat. This local version also uses gelatine, making the setting process more predictable. Its texture is therefore closer to a soft jelly sweet than traditional lokum, while the rose fragrance and powdery coating remain delightfully familiar.
Choose the simple finish for a neat pink cube, the classic finish for pistachios, or the gift-box finish with dried edible rose petals.
Customise the recipe
Choose the quantity and finish
The ingredients, shopping list and print sheet update immediately.
Your choice: 36 cubes · Classic · Stovetop
- Yield
- 36 cubes
- Preparation
- 20 minutes
- Cook and set
- 25–35 minutes, plus 6 hours to set
- Difficulty
- Moderate — the stirring needs patience
Adjustment for your choice
Stir the pistachios in at the very end so they remain evenly distributed.
One step at a time
Easy cooking steps
Follow the seven short cards from top to bottom.
- Prepare the tin5 min
Ingredients for this step
- Neutral oil and baking paper for the tin
- 100 g icing sugar
- 50 g cornflour for the coating mixture
What to do
Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper, grease lightly and sift a thin layer of the coating mixture over the base.
- Bloom the gelatine5–10 min
Ingredients for this step
- 300 ml cold water, divided into three portions
- 25 g unflavoured gelatine powder
What to do
Measure the full quantity of water. Sprinkle the gelatine over about 100 ml and reserve the rest. Leave it without stirring.
- Cook the sugar syrup8–10 min
Ingredients for this step
- 500 g white sugar
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 30 ml golden syrup
What to do
Place the sugar, lemon juice, golden syrup and about 100 ml water in a heavy-based saucepan. Stir over low heat until clear, then boil gently for 5 minutes.
- Make the cornflour paste3–4 min
Ingredients for this step
- 70 g cornflour (cornstarch)
What to do
Whisk the cornflour smooth with the final approximately 100 ml cold water. Add it slowly to the syrup while whisking constantly.
- Stir until thick and glossy15–20 min
Ingredients for this step
No new ingredients.
What to do
Reduce the heat. Stir with a sturdy wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the mixture is very thick, smooth and translucent.
- Add flavour and finish2–3 min
Ingredients for this step
- 25 ml culinary rose water
- 2–4 drops pink food colouring
- 50 g unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
What to do
Remove from the heat. Stir in the bloomed gelatine until fully dissolved. Then stir in the rose water, colour and chosen finish.
- Set, cut and coat6 hours or overnight
Ingredients for this step
No new ingredients.
What to do
Spoon into the tin, level the top and leave to set for at least 6 hours or overnight. Turn out, cut with an oiled knife and coat each cube in the dusting mixture.
Keep the steps at hand
Share or copy the steps before you start stirring.
The complete method
Use low to medium-low heat once the cornflour has been added. The mixture can spit and becomes extremely hot; use a long, sturdy spoon and keep children away from the stove.
- Mix the icing sugar and cornflour for the coating. Prepare the lined tin.
- Sprinkle the gelatine over about 100 ml cold water and leave it to bloom.
- Heat the sugar, lemon juice, golden syrup and about 100 ml water gently until the sugar dissolves. Then boil gently for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the recipe cornflour with the remaining approximately 100 ml cold water. Whisk it into the hot syrup in a thin stream.
- Reduce the heat and stir continuously for 15–20 minutes. Scrape the base and corners well so the mixture does not catch.
- The mixture is ready when it is very thick and glossy, falls slowly from the spoon and briefly leaves a track on the base.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the bloomed gelatine until no granules remain; then stir in the rose water, colour and chosen finish.
- Spoon immediately into the tin, level the top with a lightly oiled spatula and cool uncovered before covering loosely.
- Set for at least 6 hours or overnight. Turn out, cut with an oiled knife and coat all sides in the dusting mixture.
Store and serve safely
- Use culinary rose water—not cosmetic rose fragrance or garden roses that may have been sprayed.
- Keep the cubes between layers of baking paper in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to about 7 days.
- In very hot weather the container may be refrigerated; bring the sweets to room temperature and dust them lightly again before serving.
- Gelatine is not vegetarian. Clearly mention the pistachios when sharing or selling the sweets.
Ready for the shop
Ingredients
Tick what you already have. The list follows your selected quantity and finish.
Dry ingredients
Flavourings
Other
Drink
Try it today
Make one tin and share the beauty
Cut the cubes small and neat, place each one in a little paper case and pack them in a tin or gift box. A handwritten card makes the simple sweets especially suitable for a friend, church bazaar or VLU tea table.
Practical follow-up guides
Also read: three practical guides
These short articles answer specific questions and work with the complete recipe.
How much rosewater should you use in Turkish delight?Use culinary rosewater according to the size of the batch: enough for a gentle floral flavour, but not so much that the sweets taste perfumed.Read the guide 
Why does Turkish delight fail to set or remain sticky?Turkish delight usually sets poorly when the starch mixture has not thickened long enough, the gelatine was prepared incorrectly or the ratio was changed.Read the guide 
How to cut, coat and store Turkish delightLet Turkish delight set completely, cut it with a lightly oiled knife and store the coated cubes between baking paper in an airtight container.Read the guide 
