Tel Helva

A traditional Turkish sweet of sugar syrup pulled again and again through butter-toasted flour into fine, cotton-like threads. A homemade cousin of pişmaniye, lovely with tea.

Ingredients

• 250 g (1¼ cups) sugar
• 120 g (1 cup) white flour
• 100 g butter
• 40 g (3 tbsp) water
• 5 g (1 tsp) lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Set aside 1 tsp of the butter and use it to grease a large tray. Melt the rest in a wide skillet, add the flour and toast over low heat, stirring constantly, for 20-25 minutes until light brown and nutty.

2. 2

   Spread the toasted flour on a second large tray and keep it warm.

3. 3

   Put the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small pot and boil over medium heat without stirring for 10-12 minutes, until pale amber and 130 °C (a drop hardens in cold water).

4. 4

   Pour the syrup onto the greased tray and let it cool for 4-5 minutes, folding the edges into the middle, until you can handle it.

5. 5

   Knead the warm sugar into a ring and set it on the toasted flour. With two people holding opposite sides, stretch the ring, twist it into a figure eight, fold it back into a ring and coat in flour again; repeat 15-20 times until it separates into fine threads.

6. 6

   Coat the threads well in the flour and shape into palm-size nests; store in an airtight container once fully cool.

Nutrition

Per serving