How are Turkish desserts grouped?
Roughly into three families, and they are quite different things.
- Syrup desserts. Baklava, künefe, kadayıf, revani. Pastry or shredded dough is baked and then soaked in sugar syrup. They are dense and sweet, and a small portion goes a long way.
- Milk desserts. Sütlaç, kazandibi, muhallebi. Lighter and less sweet. Favoured in summer and late in the evening.
- Fruit and ice cream. Quince in winter, watermelon in summer. Ice cream is an accompaniment rather than a dessert on its own.
If it is your first time, do not order a syrup dessert and a milk dessert in the same sitting. One flattens the other.
What is künefe, and how does it differ from baklava?
Künefe is shredded kadayıf dough packed around unsalted cheese and crisped in a shallow pan. It is served hot and the cheese pulls into strands. Ground pistachio goes over the top. Because of the cheese it sits between sweet and savoury.
Baklava is thin sheets of pastry layered with walnut or pistachio and baked. It is good cold and does not have to be eaten the moment it arrives.
The difference in one line. Künefe is eaten hot, baklava can wait. Order künefe and then fall into conversation, and the cheese that was pulling into strands will have set.
Künefe is 650 lira on the Sultan Grill House menu. The dessert section also carries baklava, a chocolate soufflé and cheesecakes.
When is dessert eaten, straight after the meal?
In Turkey dessert usually comes a while after the food. It is ordered without leaving the table, but tea and conversation sit in between.
Syrup desserts rarely land well straight on top of a heavy meal. After a grill most people order tea first and ask for the dessert later.
Turkish coffee comes after the dessert. It is also drunk alongside, but that is the usual order.
How many people does one dessert serve?
One portion of a syrup dessert often does for two. Künefe arrives in its own pan and is eaten from the middle, so asking for two forks is normal.
Baklava is counted in pieces. Four pieces is a comfortable amount for two.
Milk desserts are made for one and are not built for sharing.
After a meal from the grill, ordering one dessert for the table and sharing it is the most common thing to do. A separate dessert each is usually left half finished.
Do the desserts contain gelatine or alcohol?
Most classic Turkish desserts contain neither. The syrup is sugar, water and lemon. Baklava carries butter, flour and nuts. Milk desserts are milk, sugar and starch.
Ready-made products can differ. If you need to be certain, ask.
Of the 136 dishes on the Sultan Grill House menu, 104 are marked individually for gluten, milk, egg, nuts and the rest. Where a dish carries no marks it means nothing has been entered, not that it is free of allergens. If you have a further question, ask at the table.
What do you drink with dessert?
Tea is the usual companion. It comes in a small tulip glass and cuts through the weight of a syrup dessert.
Turkish coffee is the other common choice. You order it sade, orta or şekerli, meaning no sugar, a little, or sweet. Alongside dessert most people take it sade.
Ice cream with künefe is common but not required. Hot künefe and cold ice cream are well liked together.
