Turkish Dondurma, a sensory delight!

All about Dondurma 

Turkish ice cream or ‘Dondurma’ is famous around the world. The world-famous videos where you typically see a man dressed in traditional costume spinning and twirling the ice cream, playing with it before handing it over to the customer, are a joy to watch. But the big question is how on Earth do these ice creams never melt?! 

Here’s everything you need to know about this unique ice cream. 

So, what’s in it?  

Well, the two main qualities that distinguish Turkish ice cream are: a hard texture and resistance to melting. So how does this work then?  The main ingredients are the thickening agents salep, a flour made from the root of the early purple orchid, and mastic a resin that imparts chewiness. These two ingredients allow for that hard, sticky texture.  

Also, Dondurma is made with goat's milk and to make this milk aromatic, the goats are fed with plants like Thyme and Tragacanth.  These plants are grown on local farms and the goats are allowed to feed on them, giving the milk used for the ice cream, an aromatic taste.

Origin of Dondurma? 

This traditional ice cream is believed to have its origins in the annexes of a Turkish region called Kahramanmaraş, which later became known as the ice cream capital of Turkey. 

The origin of the ice cream is believed to date back to about 300 to 500 years according to regional digital platforms. 

What else is there? 

The chewy and stretchy texture of the ice cream was achieved by churning the ice cream by hand. Aside from using salep and mastic as essential ingredients, the extensive churning and stretching of the ice cream is what makes it so special. 

Have you tried this delicious delight? You can find it in most tourist towns so be sure to check it out!