If you have a sweet tooth and a craving for something crispy and syrupy, Halka Tatlısı is the perfect dessert for you!

This popular Turkish street food dessert is a golden, spiral-shaped treat that is fried to crispy perfection and soaked in sweet sugar syrup. It’s crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and every bite is a taste of pure bliss.

What is Halka Tatlısı?

Halka Tatlısı, which translates to "ring dessert," is a famous Turkish pastry often compared to a churro or funnel cake. However, its unique shape and texture make it stand out. It’s a popular street food and can be found in bakeries across.

Türkiye, especially during fasting time when it’s enjoyed as a sweet way to break the fast.

This dessert is traditionally made from a dough mixture that’s deep-fried until golden and then soaked in a sugar-based syrup, resulting in a sweet, crunchy, and irresistibly tasty treat.

Ingredients for Halka Tatlısı

To make Halka Tatlısı, you'll need a few simple ingredients:

For the dough:

1 cup of semolina

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1 cup of water

1/2 cup of butter (melted)

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

For the syrup:

2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 cups of water

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

For frying:

Sunflower oil (or any neutral oil)

Recipe for Making Halka Tatlısı

Now, let’s dive into the step-by-step process of making this crispy, syrupy treat at home:

Step 1: Prepare the Syrup

Start by making the syrup, as it needs time to cool. Put the water and sugar in a pot and heat it to medium. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to prevent the syrup from crystallizing. Let the syrup simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens slightly. After turning off the heat, let it cool.

Step 2: Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the semolina, flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add water and melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth dough forms. When pipetting, the dough must be sufficiently thick to maintain its shape.

Turkish Street Food At Home - Halka Tatlısı / Turkish Churros

Video By Turkish Food Travel

Step 3: Pipe the Dough

Using a piping bag with a large star-shaped nozzle, pipe the dough into spirals or rings onto a parchment paper-lined tray. You can make the rings as small or large as you prefer, but keep them uniform for even frying.

Step 4: Fry the Halka Tatlısı

Heat the oil in a deep pan or fryer over medium heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully drop the dough rings into the oil. To prevent the pan from being overcrowded, fry them in batches. Fry until they’re golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Step 5: Soak in Syrup

After frying, immediately transfer the hot Halka Tatlısı into the cooled syrup. Let them soak for about a minute, ensuring that they absorb the sweet syrup. After taking them out, set them on a wire rack to drain any extra syrup.

Once the Halka Tatlısı has cooled slightly, they’re ready to be enjoyed! These crispy, syrupy treats are perfect on their own or paired with a cup of Turkish tea or coffee. Dear Lykkers, the sweet syrup complements the crunchy texture, creating a dessert that’s both satisfying and indulgent.