Turkish Delight
Soft, fragrant cubes of rosewater-set sugar jelly, dusted in icing sugar and cornstarch. The sweet the White Witch uses to tempt Edmund in Narnia.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 45 min
- total
- 1 h 5 min
- serves
- 20
- level
- medium
In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), the White Witch conjures a box of Turkish delight out of nowhere specifically because it's Edmund's favorite sweet, using it to win his trust before revealing who she really is, a detail that comes straight from C.S. Lewis's original book.
Real Turkish delight, known in Turkey as lokum, gets its soft, chewy texture from a long, patient cook of sugar and cornstarch, and its most traditional flavor comes from rosewater rather than any fruit extract.
Part of our 40 famous movie foods list.
method
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 125ml of the water and the lemon juice. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil without stirring and cook until it reaches 116°C (240°F) on a candy thermometer, the soft-ball stage.
In a separate pan, mix the cornstarch and cream of tartar with the remaining 250ml water, and whisk over medium heat until it thickens into a smooth, thick paste, about 5 minutes.
Slowly whisk the hot sugar syrup into the cornstarch mixture, a little at a time, taking care as it will bubble vigorously.
Return the combined mixture to low heat, and cook, stirring often, for 45 to 50 minutes, until it turns a pale golden color and is very thick.
Stir in the rosewater and food coloring if using.
Pour into a lightly oiled, parchment-lined dish, and spread evenly. Let it set at room temperature for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Turn out onto a surface dusted with the icing sugar and cornstarch mixture, and cut into cubes.
Toss the cubes in more of the icing sugar and cornstarch mixture until well coated on all sides.
chef's tips
- This is a genuinely long, slow cook; the mixture needs real time over low heat to turn from a cloudy paste into the glossy, chewy texture proper Turkish delight is known for, so do not rush it with higher heat.
- Rosewater is the traditional, authentic flavoring for Turkish delight, known locally as lokum, and it is worth seeking out rather than skipping, since it is the flavor most associated with the classic version.
- In The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), the White Witch uses Turkish delight specifically because it is Edmund's favorite treat, conjuring it from nothing to win his trust, a detail that comes directly from C.S. Lewis's original novel.
- The icing sugar and cornstarch coating is what keeps the pieces from sticking together, and it should be generous enough to coat every side.