Turkish Desserts are incredibly delicious, addictive and rich as well as being unique. Most of them have a great story behind them thanks to Turkey's rich and diverse cultural heritage. And many of them date back to Ottoman Empire or even further back to Central Asian Turkic tribes.
Turkey has a wide selection of desserts for every occasion and a flavour to satisfy every taste. There are 3 types of Turkish Desserts and they all are worth trying at home: milk-based, pastry-based and fruit&vegetable based. Here is the list of my 10 favourite dessert recipes that you can easily make at home.
Sutlac (Turkish Rice Pudding)
Sutlac (Turkish version of classic Rice Pudding) is a thick and creamy milk-based dessert that has a very special place in Turkish cuisine. This traditional rice dessert is delicious yet extremely easy to make with a few ingredients. The great news is that you can easily make this delicious pudding at home and have it exactly how you like it to be.
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Turkish Fig Pudding (Incir Uyutmasi)
This rich and creamy Turkish Fig Pudding recipe infused with butterscotchy dried figs is one of my favourite guilt-free desserts. And surprisingly it is only made with two main ingredients: dried figs and milk (yes, you heard it right, you only need two ingredients!) A version of this dessert, teleme, has been a popular goat herder’s snack for centuries in northeast Anatolia, Turkey. They’d milk their goats, add a few drops of sap from fresh figs to the milk, mix it for a few minutes and let it set into yoghurt. Then they would slice fresh figs in it. Our recipe uses cow's milk instead of goat's milk. But you can use goat's milk if it is easily in your reach.
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Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva)
Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva) is a traditional dessert widely popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. This delicious pudding is enriched with butter & pine nuts and then soaked in hot syrup. Helva (or Halva) has an important place in Turkish culture. It symbolizes good fortune and is made not only during religious holidays like Ramadan, but also important life events like moving houses, births, deaths, or marriages. It is still a tradition to make helva and share it with family and friends on such occasions.
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Kunefe (Kunafa) - Turkish Cheese Dessert
Kunefe (or Kunafa/Knafeh) is a heavenly Turkish Cheese Dessert made with kadaif pastry filled with cheese and soaked in syrup. It is usually served hot while the cheese is still soft and stringy. Kunefe is originated from Hatay (Antioch), Turkey’s south-eastern part, but also popular in Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. They all have their own variations of this delicious dessert with different names and recipes. It was traditionally served during the fasting period called "Ramadan". However, it is a heavenly dessert one can consume at any time of the year.
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Homemade Turkish Baklava Recipe
Baklava is a traditional Turkish treat made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped walnuts or pistachios and then soaked with simple syrup. My Homemade Turkish Baklava Recipe is perfect for you if you want to know how to make this authentic and delicious dessert from scratch. It is still traditional in Turkish culture today to make Baklava from scratch, especially during festive celebrations like weddings or religious events like Eid. Other than special occasions, people usually buy baklava from shops instead of making them at home.
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Sekerpare (Turkish Semolina Cookies)
Sekerpare (Turkish Semolina Cookies) is a sweet, moist, and tender dessert that's traditionally served for religious celebrations, such as Seker Bayrami which marks the end of Ramadan. It is a great alternative to Turkish Baklava for your sweet cravings when you want something much simpler & quicker. You can find them in Turkish bakeries or on the restaurant's menus everywhere in Turkey. Alternatively, you can make your homemade version with my simple recipe.
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Turkish Pistachio Baklava
Baklava is a very popular Turkish sweet dating back to Ottoman Empire, made with flaky & thin filo pastries, nuts, and syrup. My super easy Turkish Pistachio Baklava recipe is perfect for you if you want to learn how to make your homemade version. This classic Turkish sweet "baklava" made with ready-made filo pastries is perfect for you if you don't have time to make your filo pastry sheets. Baklava is the perfect dessert for holidays or special occasions and you can make it ahead. Although layering all these filo pastries might look intimidating, this is possibly one of the easiest & quickest desserts to make for a celebration.
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Revani - Turkish Semolina Cake
Revani (or Ravani) dessert is a syrup-soaked Turkish Cake made with Semolina and flavoured with orange and coconut. This airy and light sponge cake is typically baked in a sheet pan, sweetened with orange flavoured syrup and then cut in diamonds or squares. This delicious classic Revani dessert is dating back to the Ottomans and has been adapted by many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. Hence it has many different names: Revani in Turkey, Basbousa in Egypt, Ravani in Greece and Shamali in Armenia.
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Turkish Cookies (Elmali Kurabiye)
Turkish Cookies (Elmali Kurabiye) are delicious melt-in-the-mouth pastries made with crispy cookie dough filled with apple, cinnamon, and walnuts. These traditional cookies are commonly sold in almost every pastry shop in Turkey. This simple recipe was given to me by my mom years ago and it never let me down. The delicious and crispy pastry is very similar to a pie pastry but much easier to shape. Lemon zest is optional and you can replace it with vanilla paste or orange zest if you prefer.
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Chocolate Pastry Rolls
Chocolate Pastry Rolls are buttery, flaky, and delicious sweet treats made with a homemade pastry filled with dark chocolate chips, tahini, and walnuts. They are a great accompaniment to your morning coffee or afternoon tea. If you love the rich nutty flavour of tahini, these chocolate pastry rolls will rock your world. Chocolates, tahini, and walnuts are truly match-made in heaven!
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More Delicious Turkish Recipes
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FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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