What is the method for preparing the milk-based Turkish dessert, Güllaç?
This is a traditional sweet prepared during the month of Ramadan, known as Güllaç. The name is derived from "güllü aş," meaning "food with roses," referring to the rosewater used in the recipe.
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- Published Date: 01:52 | 19 December 2023
- Modified Date: 02:04 | 19 December 2023
Güllaç is typically made from ready-made starch wafers, which have a complex production process not feasible for home cooking. However, these wafers are readily available in Turkish food stores and online.
INGREDIENTS:
10 Güllaç sheets
4 cups Milk
2 cups Sugar
5 tbsp. Rosewater
¼ cups Almonds, unsalted, blanched, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring the milk to a boil, then reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Stir in 2 cups of sugar.
Place a Güllaç sheet in a wide pan, pour a ladle of hot milk over it, allowing it to soften and absorb the milk.
Place it in a pan to fit; it will wrinkle and expand. Repeat this process with four more sheets.
Spread the sliced almonds over the Güllaç.
Finish off with the remaining five sheets and pour more milk over them. Some unabsorbed milk is acceptable.
To enhance consistency, pour very hot milk, as it will cook the starch, preventing the dessert from becoming mushy.
To serve, cut into squares and garnish each square with nuts, slices of fruit, pomegranate kernels, or ground pistachios – or any combination you prefer. Sprinkle with rosewater and serve.
A more traditional yet time-consuming method involves soaking each sheet, cutting it in half, wrapping the filling inside, arranging in a pan, and pouring the remaining milk over it.
Alternate fillings can include hazelnut, walnut, marzipan, coconut, or any combination you desire.