🍯 Turkish Tulumba (Tulumba Tatlısı)
Tulumba is a famous Turkish fried dessert made from choux dough, deep-fried until crispy and then soaked in sweet lemon syrup. It’s crunchy outside, soft inside, and commonly sold in street sweet shops.
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 6)
For the Syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Dough
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp semolina (optional for extra crispness)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
For Frying
- Vegetable oil
🥣 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Syrup
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
- Boil for about 10 minutes until slightly thick.
- Add lemon juice and simmer 2 minutes more.
- Let the syrup cool completely.
2️⃣ Prepare the Dough
- In a pot, bring water, butter, and sugar to a boil.
- Add flour all at once and stir quickly until a dough forms.
- Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it pulls away from the pot.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3️⃣ Add Eggs
Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and sticky.
Mix in semolina and cornstarch.
4️⃣ Shape
Put dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
5️⃣ Fry
- Pipe 2–3 inch strips directly into cold oil and cut with scissors.
- Turn heat to medium and fry until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove and drain briefly.
6️⃣ Soak in Syrup
Immediately place hot tulumba into cold syrup for about 1–2 minutes.
🍽️ Serve
Serve slightly warm or room temperature.
Optional garnish:
- Crushed pistachios
- Coconut flakes
💡 Tips for Perfect Tulumba
- Starting in cold oil helps keep the shape.
- Syrup must be cold while tulumba is hot for proper soaking.
- Fry slowly for extra crispness.
If you’d like, I can also show you:
- Pakistani bakery-style tulumba
- Greek loukoumades (similar dessert)
- Istanbul street-vendor tulumba secrets that make them extra crispy.
