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Güllaç
Güllaç: Ramadan dessert of paper-thin starch wafers soaked in rose-scented milk
As soon as Ramadan begins, bakeries from Konya to Istanbul stack up packets of güllaç, the dried, almost transparent starch sheets that give this dessert its name. Soaked layer by layer in warm sweetened milk scented with rosewater, then filled with walnuts, the sheets turn soft and silky, and the dessert is served chilled after the iftar meal, often topped with pomegranate seeds. Common mistake: drenching the sheets in hot milk, which makes them dissolve into mush; the milk should be just warm. Chef's tip: make it at least 4 hours ahead, ideally overnight; it firms up enough to cut into clean slices.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 10 güllaç sheetsround dried starch wafers
- 5 cups whole milk
- 8 oz sugar
- 2 tbsp rosewater
- 5 ½ oz walnutscoarsely ground
To decorate
- 2 ⅞ oz pomegranate seeds (optional)
- 2 tbsp pistachios (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Warm 5 cups whole milk with 8 oz sugar in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the milk is just warm to the touch, not hot. Stir in 2 tbsp rosewater.
8 minStep 2: Choose a round or deep rectangular dish about the size of the sheets. Lay one of 10 güllaç sheets in it and ladle over enough milk to soak it evenly; it softens in about a minute.
Step 3: Repeat with 4 more sheets, soaking each one before adding the next.
Step 4: Scatter 5 ½ oz walnuts evenly over the fifth layer.
Step 5: Add the remaining 5 sheets the same way, finishing with milk over the top. Pour any leftover milk around the edges.
Step 6: Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, until set and the milk is absorbed.
240 minStep 7: Cut into slices and decorate with 2 ⅞ oz pomegranate seeds and 2 tbsp pistachios just before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does güllaç take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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