'Kazandibi' dessert is a real Turkish classic. It's a thick, milky pudding on the inside with a golden-brown coating of caramelized sugar on the outside.
It's a pudding so stiff, you have to cut it with a knife and eat it with a fork. This rich dessert is based on it's counterpart "chicken breast" dessert, another milky pudding that contains finely shredded chicken breast meat.
After preparing the 'chicken breast' dessert on the stove, it's poured over a thin layer of powdered sugar in a metal tray, then turned over a flame until the sugar caramelized and browns one side of the pudding.
This dessert is best when it's purchased daily from the many dessert cafes that serve milk desserts along with Turkish tea and coffee. You can also try making it at home with this recipe for authentic Turkish 'kazandibi' dessert. It takes some time and effort, but the result is worth it.
Photo © Elizabeth Taviloglu, 2013