For the 2006 Spring Middle Kingdom Coronation feast, our dessert trays included a recipe for a candy that many people might associated with modern recipes for Divinity, Seafoam, or even nut brittle. We were quite pleased with the results of our experimentation. Although most of the candy produced for the feast was a great deal like a spongy brittle, our experiments resulted in a variety of results ranging from fudge to hard candy. Don't be discouraged if you get any of these results. The weather, your ingredient temperatures, and the phase of the moon (we're sure of it!) all could have an effect on the outcome. The instructions below are more likely to result in a harder candy, though (we think). Enjoy! -- Iasmin
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Medieval Turkish Candy -- Original Recipe (Kitab al-Tibakha 14th C Bagdad)

Its varieties are many. Among them are the sweets made of natif. You put dibs (fruit syrup), honey, sugar or rubb (thick fruit syrup) in the pot, then you put it on a gentle fire and stir it until it takes consistency. Then you beat eggwhite and put it with it and stir until it thickens and becomes natif. After that, if you want almond candy you put in toasted almonds and “allaftahu”(literally; you feed it), that is you bind them. Jauziyya, walnuts; fustuqiyya, pistachios; bunduqiyya, hazelnuts; qudamiyya, toasted chickpeas; simsimiyya, toasted sesame seed; tahiniyya, flour (doubtless toasted flour, from what follows. You beat the natif until it thickens. For duhniyya, you pout in flour toasted with fat (duhn). As for halawa ‘ajamiyya, toast flour with sesame oil until it become slack, and boil dibs or another seet ingredient and put it with it. As for khabis (pudding), take dibs and put it on the fire until it’s scum rises, and skim it. Dissolve starch in water and put it with it.

Ingredient Amounts Used

1 quart white granulated sugar
1 cup water
4 whole egg whites
1 to 1 1/4 quarts nuts or seeds (walnuts, sesame, poppy seeds are all good options) chopped and toasted
parchment or oil

Basic Instructions

Bring water to boil and mix in sugar. The syrup will become clear and will start to boil. Cover the pot and allow to steam for a few minutes. Remove lid and carefully monitor your sugar. You want to bring the syrup up to the hard ball stage of candying (250-260 degrees). The hotter the syrup the drier the end result.

Consider using a full range food thermometer, but you can use a simple test. Keep a cup of cold water available and drop some syrup into the water, when it balls up and becomes stiff it has reached “hard ball stage” if it runs or stays very pliable, it’s not ready. Continue until hard ball stage is reached.

While the syrup is candying, whip the egg white till just standing. Mix well, and fold in the whites so as not to completely de-airate it.

Have the nuts or seeds on hand to mix into the syrup-egg mix. The mixture will harden quickly and you want all the ingredients ready to assemble. We toasted the nuts to increase the depth of flavor per the original recipe.

Once the syrup has reached the hard ball stage, slowly pour it into the stiffened egg white mixture all the while beating it with a hand mixer until well combined. The mixture will foam up and absorb the egg white. Add nuts or seeds, folding in carefully, and pour the confection into an oiled or lined pan or onto a larger plate.