The other night I ate what has to be my all-time favorite Turkish dessert. For me, and many others I”m sure, one of the highlights of the month of fasting is enjoying that delicate dish that has been called the queen of Ramadan desserts - güllaç.
Even though the ingredients for this delight are available year-round, during Ramadan no iftar table is complete without a plate of this delectable, rose-scented taste of heaven. It is eagerly anticipated by many Turkish people for most of the year, since it is rarely eaten outside of Ramadan.
Turkey is known for its many varieties of sweet dishes, including baklava, aşüre (Noah”s pudding), kadayıf (a syrupy, spongy desert served with cream), sütlaç (rice pudding) and lokum (Turkish delight). However, in my opinion, those just pale in comparison when placed alongside güllaç. Often said to be the symbol of Divine Love, tradition holds that the cook should recite the Sura Yasin from the Quran while gently covering the delicate layers of wafers with the milk mixture.
While the exact origins of güllaç may be lost in history, it does seem to date back to the Ottoman period. In fact, it is included on the menu for the circumcision ceremony for the sons of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. This dish was one of the favorites of the palace, as the light texture was a welcome ending to an often heavy Ramadan meal. Of course, in those days, the fragile dough leaves were cooked on coal-burning stoves by the hundreds. The bundled güllaç leaves were then carried to the Ottoman palace kitchen and houses of paşas in reed panniers to be dished up to guests. The Ottomans” traditional güllaç was named after its key ingredient, rose water (gül suyu). Güllaç used to be called “güllü aş” -- literally rose soup -- since rose water is a sine qua non for it.
Nowadays, it is much easier to make at home because the thin starch wafers, made from starch, flour and milk, are readily available in most stores or bakeries. These thin, dried round wafers are the basis of the dish.
Even though güllaç is a quick and easy dessert to prepare at home, I prefer to buy mine from some of the many local restaurants that feature it on their menus only during Ramadan. The sweet, light flavors are, indeed, a wonderful ending to the meal after a long day. To me, this is the queen of the Ramadan desserts and one I eagerly look forward to sampling every year.
Golden rules
The dessert güllaç should include plenty of milk. After the dessert has been made, it should be kept covered. The warm milk should be poured on the leaves starting from the puffy side, making the güllaç melt in your mouth. Güllaç should be adorned in the same way, using walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios or candied sour cherries.
Güllaç helps the digestive system if eaten during iftar (fast-breaking dinner), while it is a source of energy when eaten at suhoor (pre-dawn meal).
Güllaç should be eaten fresh if cooked with walnut pieces inside since it loses its color and taste quickly. You may also prepare fried güllaç. To prepare, first put some walnut between the güllaç leaves soaked in milk. Then roll them like a cigarette and fry them in sunflower oil; dip them in cold sherbet (sugar syrup) and they are ready to serve.
How to prepare güllaç
1 package of güllaç sheets (use 12)
1 cup ground walnuts
7 cups milk
3 cups sugar
1/3 cup rose water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Lightly toast the walnuts in an un-oiled frying pan.
2. Boil the milk with the sugar, rose water and vanilla extract for a few minutes.
3. Pour half a cup of the milk mixture into a pan the same size as the güllaç leaves.
4. Place one leaf in the pan and then pour a little more milk on top, making sure the leaf is completely soaked. Repeat until you have covered six leaves.
5. Spread half of the nuts evenly across the leaves.
6. Place the seventh leaf on top of the nuts and continue to layer the milk and leaves as above. Make sure there are no dry spots.
7. Let sit for 30 minutes; then use the remaining nuts to decorate the top. Place in the refrigerator until cold. Before serving, decorate with pomegranate seeds or sour cherries. Serve in slices.
Resource: Kathy Hamilton,Today”s Zaman
