Turkish delight has been a must on festive tables, when welcoming guests and alongside coffee for centuries. In this guide we introduce the Traditional Turkish Delight Varieties collection at WeNatur and share the range, from pistachio classics to new takes with chocolate and cream, through to cezerye and pestil, along with serving ideas and storage tips. All products are shipped across Europe from our warehouse in Germany.
What is Turkish delight?
Turkish delight, or lokum, is a traditional confection with a soft, slightly elastic texture, cooked from sugar, starch and water. Nuts, fruit or flavourings are added to the cooked mixture; the lokum is then cut and coated with icing sugar, desiccated coconut or ground pistachios. Closely associated with Ottoman palace cuisine, lokum is known today in many parts of the world as "Turkish delight".
Its shapes vary too: classic lokum cut into cubes, fitil lokum made as long bars, layered duble lokum and lokum rolls are the best-known examples. Lokum also has close relatives in the family of traditional Turkish sweets: cezerye, made with carrots, and pestil, made from fruit pulp, sit alongside lokum in our collection.
Turkish delight varieties in the WeNatur collection
Pistachio classics
Pistachio is the favourite companion of Turkish delight. Pistachio-Coated Fitil Lokum with Pistachios 350 g offers a double layer of pistachio: whole pistachios set in a soft white lokum base made with soapwort root extract, and an outer coating of ground pistachios. Duble Lokum with Double-Roasted Pistachios and Coconut is made in cube form with a 20% double-roasted pistachio filling and a desiccated coconut coating. Lokum with Kadayif and Pistachios combines 12% pistachios with roasted kadayif strands; the balance of soft lokum and crispy kadayif is the signature of this variety.
Fruity and flavoured lokum
Lokum with Barberries, Pomegranate and Pistachios is made in bar form with tangy barberries, pomegranate flavour and 14% pistachios, and is easy to slice. The Fig and Walnut Lokum Roll 350 g is made with sun-dried Aegean figs, large walnut pieces and desiccated coconut. For large gatherings, Orange Flavoured Cocktail Lokum with Slivered Pistachios 900 g combines orange flavour and a mixed nut filling with a coating of slivered pistachios.
New takes with chocolate and cream
For a modern twist on classic lokum, Chocolate-Coated Pistachio Lokum 350 g covers a lokum base containing 12% double-roasted pistachios with a layer of 35% dark chocolate. Chocolate Pistachio Cake Lokum 300 g holds a chocolate cake filling and pistachios between two layers of white lokum, with ground pistachio on top. Lotus Biscoff Cream and Pistachio Sandwich Lokum 350 g offers caramelised Lotus Biscoff cream and pistachios between two layers of lokum, coated on the outside with biscuit crumbs. For a taste of nostalgia, Mini Biscuit Lokum, with coconut-coated lokum between two mini biscuits, recalls the kıstırma lokum of childhood.
Cezerye and pestil
Cezerye, made by slowly caramelising carrots with sugar, comes in two varieties: Pistachio and Coconut Leaf Cezerye 350 g and Hazelnut and Coconut Leaf Cezerye 350 g with 15% roasted Black Sea hazelnuts. Thin pestil sheets made from fruit pulp are offered with hazelnut paste in two forms: the triangle-folded Muska Pestil with Hazelnut Paste 350 g and the rolled Sarma Pestil with Hazelnut Paste 350 g.
What to look for when choosing Turkish delight
- Nut content: The share of pistachios or hazelnuts is given as a percentage on the label. Our collection, for example, includes varieties with 12%, 14%, 15% and 20% nuts.
- Coating: Icing sugar, desiccated coconut, ground pistachios or chocolate affect both the taste and the storage conditions.
- Shape and weight: Cubes suit a serving plate, bars are made for slicing, and the 900 g cocktail box is ideal for large parties.
- Allergens: Lokum may contain tree nuts such as pistachios, hazelnuts and walnuts, and varieties with biscuit or kadayif may also contain gluten. Always read the ingredients list on the pack for allergen information.
How to serve Turkish delight
The most classic companion for lokum is Turkish coffee: one or two pieces next to the cup balance the coffee's intense taste with sweetness. Strong black tea, espresso and filter coffee also go well with lokum. When hosting guests, bringing together lokum in different colours and fillings on one plate makes a treat for the eyes and the palate.
Lokum is not only for offering to guests. You can cut cubes into small pieces and add them to rice pudding, milk pudding or ice cream; slices of fitil lokum fit nicely on a cheese board next to dried fruit. Chocolate-coated varieties, sliced thinly, decorate dessert plates. Giving lokum as a gift box at religious holidays, weddings and special occasions is also a long-standing tradition, and the cocktail lokum box is ideal for this. A slice of pestil or cezerye with your breakfast tea is a lovely sweet alternative, too.
Storage
Keep Turkish delight in its closed box in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. In a humid environment the coating dissolves and the pieces can stick together, while in a very dry environment lokum becomes hard. Unless the label says otherwise, the fridge is generally not recommended, as it can harden the texture. Protect chocolate-coated varieties from heat, since chocolate tends to melt. Keeping opened boxes with the lid closed preserves the freshness of the coating and the nuts. The same rules apply to pestil and cezerye; remember to check the best-before date on the pack.
Frequently asked questions about Turkish delight
What is the difference between lokum and cezerye?
Lokum is made from a mixture of sugar, starch and water that is cooked. Cezerye, on the other hand, is made by caramelising carrots with sugar and is usually combined with nuts and desiccated coconut.
How is pestil made?
Pestil is made by spreading fruit pulp in thin sheets and drying it. The pestil in our collection is filled with hazelnut paste and folded into triangles or rolled.
Where is the lokum shipped to Germany from?
All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Germany with DHL or DPD; shipping within Germany is free for orders over €100. You can find the details in our shipping policy.
Who can I contact about bulk orders or gift packs?
For questions about special occasions and bulk orders, write to us via our contact page.
Conclusion
From classic pistachio cubes to new takes with chocolate and cream, through to cezerye and pestil, Turkish delight offers variety to suit every taste. Choose your favourite from the Traditional Turkish Delight Varieties collection; for a tea or coffee to go with your lokum, browse the Coffees & Natural Teas collection, and for more regional specialities visit the Traditional Foods page.
Source: Wikipedia – Turkish delight
