The Sweet Delights of Istanbul

Picture yourself standing in the streets of Old Istanbul.  Point your finger in any given direction and what do you see?

Chances are it will be a shop selling Turkish delight and baklava.

On a recent short jaunt to this fabulous city, I roamed the cobbled streets of the old town and, along with the fascinating history of Istanbul, absorbed the sweet aroma of Turkey’s ample confectionaries.

Haci Bekir sweet shop

Istanbul, apart from being one of the most visited cities on the planet, has a rich and deep history stretching back to the hallowed times of Constantinople (its former name) and the eastern Roman Empire, the clash between the Crescent and the Cross, and the heady days of the merchant-filled Silk Road.  It’s vast Ottoman Empire heralded sultans, both good and bad, embracing the vast diversity of the new and old worlds.  The breathtaking architecture, Iznik ceramics and Byzantine frescoes draw the visitor into a past world of imperial splendour and mercantile wealth.

Nowadays, the slow and steady pace of camels and caravanserais have been replaced by modern jet travel, ships steaming in all directions, efficient public transport, numerous hotels and a multitude of visitors with their ubiquitous iPads.  And the feel of Istanbul is still that of a bustling crossroads of cultures.  Sit on any public bench by the busy Bosphorus waterway and you will see the world’s people in all their hues, head-dresses and habits, pass peacefully in front of your eyes. 

Of course, with all this breathless sightseeing, there is always the need to boost the energy levels with some of the tastier local delights.  As I walked down a busy street in the traditional stock exchange area, I happened upon a delightful little shop with an enticing traditional window display of sweet treats.  I couldn’t resist going inside.

Haci Bekir's Turkish Delight

The bell above the door tinkled magically as I walked in to the quiet oasis of the Haci Bekir Confectioners.  Established in 1777 by Bekir Effendi, a sweetmaker from Anatolia, Haci Bekir is a Turkish confectionary institution.  Apparently, 250 years ago, sweets in Turkey were rather hard.  Bekir Effendi decided to change this and concocted a soft bite-sized confection made of gel of starch, sugar and natural fruit flavourings. Legend has it that the sweetmeat called lokum (the Arabic word for morsel) became very popular with the well to do.  A common trend was to wrap these deliciously soft little tidbits inside silk handkerchiefs and gift them to friends or loved ones.

Of course, it wasn’t long before lokum made its way to the Ottoman court and the Sultans gave it their royal approval.  Historical sources reveal that lokum was a favourite of the ladies in the palace harem, who would order boxes of the stuff to sweeten their mouths amidst all that palace intrigue.


The business is still run by the same Bekir family and the original shop in Bahçekapi District exists – with a few interior design changes – today. When you step inside you are greeted by reverentially quiet salesmen, welcoming you to their world of sweet serenity.

Now, for those of you who have ever visited Turkey, haggling and striking a bargain is expected almost everywhere.  But not in this quaint sweet shop. The calmness of the owners invites you to take your time, taste the wide array of their wares and choose at your leisure.

Faced with so much choice, and no pressure to buy, a visit to Haci Bekir is a must on anyone’s travel itinerary.

And now for the baklava!

Although baklava can be found in Iran, this melt-in-the-mouth pastry delight is indisputably Turkish in origin.  Scholars believe it to be based on the Turkic word and culinary tradition of layering breads.  The recipe reputedly originates from the kitchens of the Ottoman Topkapi Palace, majestically overseeing the city. 

Over the years, the making of baklava has modified to layering filo pasty in a large tray with layers of pistachios, walnuts or hazelnuts.  Before baking, the pastry is cut into diamond shapes and baked.  Once cooked, it is drizzled with oodles and oodles of honey syrup.

Baklava at the Hafiz Mustafa Bakery

And if you are in Istanbul, a must stop on the way back from the Topkapi Palace (and conveniently opposite Haci Bekir) is to pop into the Hafiz Mustafa Bakery.  It’s sidewalk tables are always packed with locals and tourists alike consuming cakes and sweets and drinking tea.

After a day of taking in Ottoman art and culture, I went into this lively café for a refreshing cuppa.  Positioning myself deliberately in front of the trays of baklava, my tea was brought to me by a pirouetting waiter, deftly depositing tea and cakes at tables without a drop spilt or a crumb lost.

I leave you to ponder the delights of the Middle East with Tess Mallos’ recipe for baklava from her book The Complete Middle Eastern Cookbook.  I would have to confess however, that although I have often been tempted to make baklava, I have never had the courage to do so.

I do think that if you really want to taste Turkish baklava, you need to get on a jet camel and head to Istanbul.

Baklava

What you need:

185 grams unsalted butter, melted

20 sheets of filo pastry

250 grams finely chopped walnuts or pistachios

155g grams finely chopped almonds

55 grams caster sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

For the syrup:

330 grams of sugar

90 grams honey

Thinly peeled strip of lemon rind

1 small piece of cinnamon bark

3 cloves

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 baking dish approximately 23 x 33 x 5cm (9 x 13 x 2 inch)

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F, Gas 2-3).

Brush the base and sides of the dish with melted butter.

Place nine sheets of filo pastry, one at a time, into the dish, brushing each layer with melted butter as you place it in the tray.

In a separate bowl, mix together the nuts, sugar and spices. Spread half of this nut mixture over the pastry.

Cover the nuts with another two sheets of filo pastry, brushing each layer with butter.

Spread the remaining nuts on top and finish with the remaining filo pastry, brushing each layer with melted butter.

Trim the pastry edges and brush the top with butter.

Take a sharp knife and (cutting the baklava right down to the base) cut the baklava into a diamond pattern.

Sprinkle the top lightly with water to prevent the top layers from curling upwards.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes. Move the baklava to a higher shelf in the oven and bake for another 30 minutes. If you see the top starting to brown or colour, then place some baking parchment or tin foil on top of it.

Allow the pastry to cook thoroughly.

While the baklava is cooking, make the syrup.  Put the sugar and honey in a heavy-based saucepan with 375 ml of water.  Keep the heat at a moderate temperature and stir continuously until the sugar is dissolved.  Then add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and let boil for 15 minutes.  Strain and cool.

When the baklava is cooked, spoon the cooled syrup evenly over it.  Leave the baklava for several hours before serving.