Serving Only The Best Real Turkish Lokum
With an estimated origin somewhere within the 18th Century, Turkish Delight — or Lokum — is one of the world’s oldest and most beloved sweets. Best known in the West for its appearance in The Chronicles of Narnia, this delicately chewy, fragrant confection has enchanted generations across cultures. But few realise how deep its roots go — stretching back to the Ottoman Empire and continuing to this day through centuries of tradition.
Although folklore often attributes Turkish Delight to a Sultan seeking a soothing treat for his many wives, the reality is equally captivating. Lokum has been a part of Turkish culture for centuries, associated with celebration, hospitality, and romance.
Before the invention of Turkish Delight as we know it, confections made from honey, fruit syrups, and flour were common across the Middle East. The innovation that changed everything was the introduction of refined sugar and cornstarch, which created the unique smooth texture of modern Lokum — a texture entirely unlike jelly or gelatine-based sweets.
This was a turning point not just for Turkish Delight, but for global confectionery as a whole. The sweet would soon become an enduring symbol of Ottoman elegance.
The honour of inventing Turkish Delight belongs to Hacı Bekir (Though at the time he was known as Bekir Efendi,) a talented confectioner from eastern Anatolia. When he arrived in Istanbul in 1777, the city was already a hub of culinary sophistication — and Bekir saw an opportunity to create something extraordinary.
His little shop in the heart of the city began producing soft, bite-sized cubes of scented delight, dusted in fine sugar or desiccated coconut, and filled with nuts like pistachio, hazelnut, and walnut. Flavours such as rose, lemon, and orange blossom gave each piece a subtle, luxurious depth.
Customers were enchanted. Bekir’s sweets offered a refined alternative to the denser, chewier candies of the time, and quickly became fashionable across every level of society. Their popularity spread beyond markets and homes — they were gifted between lovers, used in formal courting, and even presented at royal banquets.
After completing the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, Bekir was granted the title Hacı — becoming known forever after as Hacı Bekir. He also received a medal of honour from Sultan Mahmud II, recognising the excellence of his contribution to Ottoman culinary art.
Under the stewardship of his descendants, the Hacı Bekir company became one of the most successful and enduring family businesses in the empire. His son, Mehmet Muhiddin, continued the legacy, introducing innovations while keeping true to the original recipe. Under his leadership, the company won medals at world exhibitions, including Paris and Vienna, helping to elevate Turkish Delight to an internationally recognised delicacy.
By the early 20th century, Ali Muhiddin, a later descendant, oversaw the expansion of the business to ten shops, including branches in Cairo and Alexandria, bringing Lokum to even more corners of the world.
To this day, the fifth generation of the Hacı Bekir family continues to run the company, making it one of Turkey’s most treasured living legacies.
In the 19th century, Turkish Delight began its westward journey when an English traveller, visiting Istanbul, encountered Lokum and brought boxes of it home to Britain. Unable to pronounce “lokum,” he gave it the name we know today: Turkish Delight.
The new name stuck — and soon, Turkish Delight was being served in Victorian parlours across Britain as an exotic and luxurious treat. However, the recipe was often altered to suit British tastes, leading to firmer, sweeter, gelatine-based versions that lacked the delicate texture and nuanced flavours of the original.
This shift in preparation created a generation of Westerners who believed they disliked Turkish Delight — without ever tasting the authentic version. Today, that misconception still lingers, but companies like Sultan Delights are working to change that.
Many people in the UK associate Turkish Delight with the chocolate-coated jelly bar found in sweet shops and supermarkets — such as Fry’s Turkish Delight. While nostalgic for some, this version is a far cry from the authentic confection enjoyed in Turkey and the Middle East.
Instead of the soft, lightly scented cubes of Lokum made from sugar and starch, the British version is a firm, gelatine-based sweet, often coated in milk chocolate. The flavour and texture are completely different — and, for many, disappointing.
This widespread misunderstanding has contributed to Turkish Delight’s unfair reputation in the West. Countless people believe they dislike it, when in reality, they’ve never tasted the real thing.
At Sultan Delights, we’re on a mission to change that — by offering the genuine article, made using traditional recipes and natural ingredients, just as it’s been done for generations.
More than just a sweet, Turkish Delight is a symbol of heritage, hospitality, and timeless indulgence. Whether shared at weddings, gifted during Eid, or offered to guests with a strong cup of Turkish coffee, it remains a vital part of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture.
In Turkey, it’s still customary to serve a few pieces of Lokum alongside a morning coffee — the sweetness of the delight perfectly balancing the intense bitterness of the brew. It’s a quiet, elegant ritual that captures everything Turkish Delight is meant to be: welcoming, comforting, and rooted in tradition.
At Sultan Delights, we honour this heritage by importing and sharing authentic, handcrafted Turkish Delight — made the way it’s meant to be: soft, fragrant, and unforgettable.
If you’re ready to experience Turkish Delight as it’s been enjoyed for centuries, click here to create your own box of 50 and rediscover the magic of one of the world’s oldest sweets.
Sultan Delights brings this centuries-old tradition to your doorstep. Build your own box of 50 handmade Turkish delights from our range of 10 authentic flavours — including the classic rosewater recipe that started it all.
Turkish Delight (Lokum) was invented in 1777 by Hacı Bekir (originally known as Bekir Efendi), a confectioner from eastern Anatolia who opened a shop in Istanbul. The sweet has origins dating back to the 18th century Ottoman Empire. Before this, similar confections made from honey and flour existed, but the introduction of refined sugar and cornstarch created the unique smooth texture of modern Lokum.
His soft, scented cubes dusted in sugar and filled with nuts quickly became fashionable across Ottoman society. After completing his pilgrimage to Mecca, he was granted the title "Hacı" and received a medal of honour from Sultan Mahmud II for his contribution to Ottoman culinary art.
In the 19th century, an English traveller visiting Istanbul encountered Lokum and brought boxes back to Britain. Unable to pronounce "lokum," he gave it the name "Turkish Delight." The name stuck and became widely used across the UK and Europe. In Turkey and the Middle East, it's still known as Lokum.
No. Fry's Turkish Delight is a chocolate-coated, gelatine-based jelly bar created for the British market. Authentic Turkish Delight (Lokum) is made from cornflour and sugar (never gelatine), has a soft, delicate texture, and comes in lightly scented cubes dusted with icing sugar. The flavour and texture are completely different. Many people think they dislike Turkish Delight when they've only tried the British chocolate bar version.
Turkish Delight arrived in Britain during the 19th century when English travellers visiting Istanbul brought boxes home. It became popular in Victorian parlours as an exotic luxury treat. However, British manufacturers often altered the recipe to suit local tastes, creating firmer, sweeter, gelatine-based versions that lacked the delicate texture and nuanced flavours of the original.
Yes! The Hacı Bekir company is still run by the fifth generation of the founding family, making it one of Turkey's most treasured living legacies. The business expanded under Hacı Bekir's descendants, winning medals at world exhibitions in Paris and Vienna. By the early 20th century, it had ten shops including branches in Cairo and Alexandria.
In Turkey, it's customary to serve a few pieces of Lokum alongside a cup of strong Turkish coffee. The sweetness of the Turkish Delight perfectly balances the intense bitterness of the coffee. It's also traditionally served at weddings, gifted during Eid, offered to guests as a sign of hospitality, and exchanged between lovers during courtship.