LOKHOOM – TURKISH DELIGHT

INGREDIENTS: Serves 6-8

• 1/2 cup cornstarch


• 8 cups sugar

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice


• 8 cups hot water

• 3 drops Bergamot oil

• 3 tablespoons rosewater or 3 tablespoons orange flower water (optional for an orange or rose petal flavor)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pistachios or walnuts [optional]

• Powdered sugar

PREPARATION:

1.  Mix cornstarch and sugar together in a large pan. Add the lemon juice and water and cook over medium heat until the liquid becomes thickened and a lightly golden in color. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 2 hours.

2.  At about 1 hour and 45 minutes, add the Bergamot oil and the chopped nuts. You are now ready to transfer the candy to a buttered Pyrex plate to cool.  You can tell it’s at the right consistency when the liquid jells and separates from the sides of the pan and forms a large ball.

3.  Pour contents into a buttered Pyrex pie plate and let cool.  It is best to cool overnight.

4.  When cool, cut into 1 inch squares and sprinkle the candy generously with a ½ & ½ combination of powdered sugar and cornstarch.

Serve.

NOTE:

1.  Bergamot oil is a citrus essential oil and can be found in aroma-therapy shops, good spice shops or

Baking supply stores. *You can substitute with 2 TBL. Orange flower water or 3 DROPS Orange Flower Water or Orange Oil.  Also found in good cooking stores such as Williams-Sonoma or top supermarkets.

2.  It is best to oil your knife before cutting the squares, as the lokhoom will have a tendency to stick to the knife blade.