Turkish delight

Method

1. Lightly oil a large piece of cling film and press well into your tin or dish, leaving enough overlap on each side to fold over and cover the top of the Turkish delight once made.

2. In a clean, heavy-based saucepan add the sugar, lemon juice and 250ml/9fl oz of water. The mixture should reach about halfway up the pot. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, stirring occasionally with a clean, metal spoon. This will take about 15 minutes.

3. Once dissolved, brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush (this prevents sugar crystals from forming). Turn the heat up, insert the thermometer and bring to a boil. Without stirring, cook until the temperature on the thermometer reaches 115C/239F. This will take around 10 minutes. Once it reaches that temperature, remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool slightly.

4. In another heavy-based saucepan, whisk another 250ml/9fl oz of water with the cream of tartar and cornflour until smooth. Place on a low heat and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture forms a thick paste and starts to blow hot bubbles. This will take about 10 minutes.

5. Take off the heat and gradually add the hot sugar syrup, whisking thoroughly between each addition to prevent lumps forming. Once smooth, use a silicone spatula to scrape down and clean the sides of the pan.

6. Place the pan on a medium heat and cook until the mixture just begins to bubble. Turn the heat down to low and cook for a further 45 minutes. You will need to stir every 5 minutes – I tend to use a silicon spatula, then scrape it down with a knife to keep all the mix in the pan.

7. After 45 minutes, take the pan off the heat and stir through the food colouring and rose water. Pour into the lined tin and fold over the oiled cling film to cover. Using a spoon, carefully press down on the cling film to flatten the surface. Once smooth, fold back the cling film to leave the Turkish delight exposed. Leave out to cool for at least six hours or overnight to set.

8. For dusting, when set, mix the icing sugar and cornflour in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of this mixture onto a board.

9. Carefully turn out the Turkish delight and cut into 24 squares with a lightly-oiled knife. In batches, toss the squares in the icing sugar mixture until they are well coated.

10. Store the Turkish delight in a loosely covered container (not in the fridge) with the remaining icing sugar. This will keep for about one week.