The History of Dessert

In every language, the word “sweet” carries extremely positive connotations, evoking feelings of pleasure and happiness, and is associated with love and joy. The main ingredient in sweets is always sugar.

Regardless of which culinary culture in history you look at, Anatolian confectionery marks a turning point in each one. The earliest inhabitants of these lands are considered the pioneers of confectionery in Western civilization.

Looking at the culinary habits of Central Asian Turks today, there are few clues about their involvement in sweets. Apparently, our ancestors, like the Chinese, were unfamiliar with the concept of sweets. With the migration to Anatolia, we see that confectionery, a deep-rooted tradition of these lands, was quickly embraced and this cultural heritage was preserved. During the Ottoman period, the Turks seemed to take on the task of blending the deep-rooted dessert culture of the Middle East with the dessert culture of the peoples stretching across Europe.

Thanks to the Turks, the different culinary traditions of countless countries have melted together, and the various desserts of the East and West have reemerged in a much more refined form in the imperial capital of Istanbul.

Sütlaç, Our Oldest Dessert

The first food we encounter as babies is milk. Later, cow’s milk directly replaces breast milk. Perhaps this is why the earliest known desserts in history are also milk-based desserts.

Perhaps the most well-known and beloved of our milk-based desserts is sütlaç. Divan-ü Lügat-it Türk mentions a dessert called ‘Uwa’. The recipe is given as follows: “After the rice is cooked, it is placed in cold water; then the water is drained, sugar is added, and it is eaten cold.”

Sütlaç, also known as “sütlü aş” or “sütlü pirinç,” first appeared in medical books and the poems of Kaygusuz Abdal in the 15th century.

Sütlaç also entered Italian cuisine and was served as the third course at a banquet given by Pope Pius V in 1570 as “Turkish-style milk rice sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.” In Turkey, sütlaç was also a prestigious dessert served at royal tables. After British ambassador Lord John Finch appeared before Mehmed IV at the Edirne Palace, sütlaç was again served at the banquet given by the grand vizier.

Muhallebi

Another delicacy that is as prominent as sütlaç, perhaps even surpassing it, is muhallebi.

Muhallebi was a dessert prepared in the palace kitchen both plain and with chicken breast. Named after a famous Abbasid aristocrat, muhallebi was initially a dish made with meat, rice, honey, and saffron. Later, adding meat became optional. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror preferred the chicken breast type; his muhallebi was always made with chicken meat in addition to milk and rice flour. In the book by the 15th-century Ottoman physician Shirvani, there are two recipes, one with meat and one without; after the meatless one is cooked and placed in bowls, a little butter, rose water, and powdered sugar are sprinkled on top.

Muhallebi was among the favorite desserts made in the palace for holidays and ambassadorial banquets. After a while, muhallebi began to be sold on the streets, in parks, and in bathhouses. In addition to rose water and powdered sugar, honey or molasses was also sprinkled on the muhallebi sold on the streets. Western travelers, who knew of a similar dessert called ‘blanc mange’ made in their own kitchens, greatly admired this different type made in Turkey. An English cookbook from the late 19th century contains a recipe for a “Turkish-style” muhallebi called “Ramadan Cake,” which is topped with rose water or jasmine water.

Kazandibi

Regarding muhallebi makers, “Milk muhallebi and chicken breast from the bottom of the pot with scrapers, distributing them evenly on plates with the red sides facing up, which they call kazgan dibi,” Mahmud Nedim is the first to mention kazandibi muhallebi. Ahmed Cavid, writing during the reign of Selim III, said, “Rice and other dishes that stick to the bottom of the pot and pan are delicious. If the owner of the house doesn’t get any, the servants eat it.” Istanbul’s muhallebi makers recognized the value of this delicacy and did not leave it to the servants, introducing kazandibi, one of the most delicious desserts, to the Ottoman cuisine.