Turkish Delight

Beloved all around the world, Turkish delight is the perfect companion to Turkish coffee – a timeless taste with a rich history and a soft, velvety texture.

It is widely known that Turkish delight has no equal in the world. For instance, the French painter Pretextat Lecomte, who lived in Istanbul for many years, described it in his book Art et Métiers en Orient (Arts and Crafts in the East), published in Paris in 1907, as follows: “Turkish Delight is a confection invented in Istanbul; the one found elsewhere is merely a pale imitation.”

According to stories, in the late 18th century, the reigning sultan desired a soft confection instead of hard candies and announced a competition. At the end of the competition, Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir was chosen as the winner, and thus a wonderful Turkish dessert was born. The soft confectionery made by his hands, the very Turkish delights we enjoy today, soon found their place in the palace kitchens.
This delicacy, which was produced in abundance and shared with the public, grew increasingly popular and, by the 19th century, its fame had spread to Europe.
With its protein and sugar content providing energy and its easy consumption, Turkish delight gained even greater renown, becoming a well-loved taste across Europe. Its name, as it is still known in many parts of the world today, came to be called “Turkish delight”.

Today, the aroma, flavor, and texture of authentic Turkish delight continue to preserve its uniqueness although it is produced in many places.