Anyone who has spent time in Turkey will tell you that the cuisine is definitely varied and diverse. Throughout history, Turks have made use of any ingredient to produce tasty and delicious dishes including desserts. On our top ten list, there are some well-known deserts that any foreigner can associate with but there are also some surprises and new tastes to introduce your palette to.

Ten Turkish Desserts

Künefe originates from Palestine and is a dish made of thin pastry noodles. The surprising twist is the addition of melted cheese. An excellent side accompaniment to the dish is a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Baklava is widely served throughout Turkey as a snack during the day or as pudding after a main meal. It is made with many layers of flakey pastry, sweet syrup, and a filling of pistachio nuts or walnuts in between the layers.

Aşure is also called Noah’s pudding as it is served at a special time of the year, when it is believed the ark landed. Ingredients are a mix of nuts, fruits, and grains. The pudding is meant to resemble the last meal on the ark when supplies were exhausted and Noah asked everyone to put their last food into one big cooking pot.

Profiterols are for those who do not like to explore with their taste buds. Made in the same way as the western version, they are hollow pastry puffs, filled with cream and topped with chocolate.

Lokma is eaten as a sweet snack or dessert. They are small portions of deep fried dough covered with sweet syrup. Lokma is also popular as street food and often sold by vendors in the big cities such as Istanbul.

Tavuk Göğsü is a surprise for many because it is a pudding that includes chicken and milk. The dish was a favourite of the Ottoman sultans for many years. This dessert is still on my list of Turkish puddings to try.

Sütlaç is very similar to the western style rice pudding. Traditionally covered with cinnamon, it is served in most restaurants and cafes. It is one of Turkey’s more popular desserts.

Dondurma is ice-cream but the taste and consistency of Turkish ice-cream is very different to that found in the west. The best ice-cream comes from the region of Maraş and its consistency is so thick, it does not melt. While in the streets of Istanbul, keep an eye out for the traditional ice cream sellers.

Kazandibi literally means cauldron bottom or bottom of the pot and this reference is because of the caramelized sugar and burnt appearance that coats the outside of the pudding. Do not turn your nose up as it is quite delicious and even more so, when served with ice cream.

Readers Question : Which is your favourite Turkish dessert?

  Istanbul Cooking Classes

Run by a Cordon Bleu chef,  this cooking class is fun. Together, cook 5 different dishes and then enjoy them with  glasses of local wine. Take home ideas, tips and receipes. Learn more…