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Turkish delights are a real classic… this version, however, is a marriage of the Christmas sugar plum with the Turkish delight. They make excellent Christmas gifts and treats and are also great as an after-dinner treat or as a gift for Valentine’s day.
20/50/makes 50 (plus over-night setting)
Ingredients:
vegetable oil, for greasing
300g (2/3 lb) plums, destoned and roughly chopped
650g (3 ¼ cups) caster sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1½ tsp cream of tartar
100g (1/2 cup) cornflour, plus 50g (1/4 cup)
50g (1/4 cup) icing sugar
Method:
Grease and line a 20cm (8 in) square baking tin with lightly-oiled clingfilm (plastic wrap). Put the chopped plums in a medium, lidded, saucepan with 50ml (1/5 cup) water; cover, bring to a simmer and cook over a medium heat for 5-7 mins or until breaking apart. Transfer to a heatproof jug and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. You should have 300ml (1 ¼ cups) of purée; set the jug aside to cool.
Combine the caster sugar, lemon juice, cream of tartar and 300ml (1 ¼ cups) water in a large saucepan. Heat gently over a low-medium heat for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has all dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling immediately remove from the heat.
Put the 100g cornflour in a bowl and whisk in the plum purée until smooth. Gradually whisk the plum and cornflour mixture into the pan with the sugar syrup. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, then cook for 5 mins, stirring constantly, until thickened (large sticky bubbles should appear). Continue cooking for 30-40 mins, stirring frequently to stop the bottom from burning, until the mixture is very thick, reduced and starts to come away from the sides of the pan. If using a sugar thermometer, it should read 112-115°C, or you can test it by dropping a small amount into a bowl of iced water (after 1 min it should hold its shape well and feel firm, but will be soft and squidgy when pressed).
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin, cover with a tea towel (making sure it doesn’t touch the surface) and leave to set overnight at room temperature.
Transfer to the fridge an hour before you’re ready to cut. Sift the icing sugar and extra 50g cornflour into a bowl and whisk well to combine. Dust half of this mixture onto a clean worktop and over a sharp knife.
Turn out the Turkish delight and peel off the clingfilm, then use the dusted knife to cut into 1.5cm (1/2 in) squares. Toss with the remaining icing sugar and cornflour mix, and pack into cardboard gift boxes or paper bags.
This will keep for up to a week at room temperature.
