Croissants with Turkish delight
The first time I tried making crescent rolls with Turkish delight, I think I covered the entire kitchen in flour. I added too much flour, and in the end, I couldn't roll out the dough even if you begged me with bacon and wine. Well, I'm not great with patience either, especially when it smells like vanilla, and I can’t wait to finish so I can taste. But I made them again, and again, and with each batch, I learned something: never rush the rising, don’t cut the pieces of Turkish delight too big (otherwise, they'll break the dough when you roll them), and don’t forget to leave your butter or margarine out on the counter, as that’s the secret to everything being fluffy. I also had trouble with eggs straight from the fridge; the mixture curdled, but if you leave them out on the counter for a bit, it makes a world of difference.
Time: between 1.5 and 2 hours, depending on how focused you are and if you have kids/pets in the kitchen that distract you. From the quantities below, I usually get about two large trays, which means around 35-40 crescent rolls, maybe even more if you don’t make them too big. Difficulty: it’s not hard, but it requires patience and following the steps; otherwise, you’ll ruin everything.
I keep coming back to this recipe because I don’t know of a better dough for crescent rolls, honestly. It’s easy to work with, it doesn’t stick, and you don’t have to struggle to let it rise for hours, and even if you put everything in the fridge beforehand, it turns out just right. Plus, it’s perfect for when you have some leftover Turkish delight lying around in the cupboard. I also love that it works with fillings like nuts, jam, or, honestly, whatever you have at home. One Sunday, I made a batch with everything I had on hand, including some rum-soaked raisins, and nothing was left on the tray.
1. Take the butter (or margarine, if you prefer) out in advance so it’s soft. If you forget, you can cut it into thin slices and leave it next to the stove while you prepare the rest.
2. Prepare the yeast: I use fresh yeast, crumble it with a spoonful of sugar (not all the sugar from the recipe, just enough to dissolve it well), then pour in cold sparkling water. It makes a weird foam, which is exactly what you want. I’ve tried using dry yeast too; it works, but it doesn’t come out as tender. Set the bowl aside while you mix the other ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, combine the soft butter and the eggs (at room temperature, to avoid curdling). Whisk them well with a whisk or a mixer; it doesn’t matter what you use, the goal is to get a frothy, whitish mixture. Don’t skip this step if you want airy dough; otherwise, it will turn out sticky. Add the sour cream (it can be thicker, but not ultra-thick; around 20% fat is ideal), salt, vanilla sugar, and a bit of vinegar. Vinegar? Yes, I don’t know exactly why scientifically, but I believe it helps the dough to be tender. Anyway, if you skip it, it just doesn’t turn out the same.
4. Pour the foamy yeast over the mixture in the large bowl. Don’t worry if it seems to separate; mix it with a mixer for a minute, and it will come together.
5. Now comes the part with the flour. It needs to be sifted so you don’t have lumps, resulting in finer crescent rolls. Gradually incorporate it with a spoon or by hand, and don’t add all the flour at once. It depends on how wet the dough is, the eggs, the butter, and what kind of sour cream you’re using... I never add 700g at once; I start with 600g and then see if I need more. In the end, you should have a soft, non-sticky, elastic dough that easily comes together in your hand. If you add too much flour, it’s over; it won’t rise properly in the oven and will remain sticky. Even if it seems too soft, don’t add more flour yet; it’s better to put it in the fridge and check later.
6. Gather the dough into a ball, place it in a clean bag or wrap it in cling film (either works), seal it, and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes, no longer. Don’t ask me why, but if you leave it too long, it hardens. You only want it to settle so you can work with it easily.
7. In the meantime, cut the Turkish delight into small cubes. I don’t skimp on it, but I also don’t add too much; otherwise, it will break the dough. You can sprinkle flour on the knife so it doesn’t stick too much.
8. After taking the dough out of the fridge, place it on a floured surface, break off a piece (keep the rest in the fridge so it doesn’t soften all at once). Roll it out into a sheet about 3-4mm thick, not too thin like paper, but not too thick either. Cut strips about 5cm wide, then cut them diagonally to make diamonds (or triangles; it doesn’t matter, just make sure you have enough space to roll).
9. Place a piece of Turkish delight on each diamond and roll it up, not too tightly so the filling doesn’t ooze out at the ends. Put them directly on the tray lined with parchment paper lightly greased with oil so they don’t stick.
10. Bake the trays in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Don’t rely solely on the time; look at them to ensure they are lightly browned on the bottom and just golden on top; don’t let them burn. If you take them out too early, they’ll be raw; if you leave them too long, they’ll harden.
11. While they are warm, roll them well in powdered sugar. If you let them cool, the sugar won’t stick.
That’s it; just don’t eat half a tray at once because they always disappear instantly at my place.
If you feel like it, you can substitute butter with margarine; it’s no tragedy, they’ll still be tender, just with a different taste. Sometimes I add some grated orange zest to the dough if I have it around. For the filling, anything works: plum jam, thick fruit spread (make sure it’s not too runny, or it’ll spill everywhere), ground nuts mixed with a bit of sugar, raisins. Nutella works too, but don’t be stingy; otherwise, you won’t taste it in the middle.
These crescent rolls, with a glass of cold milk or black tea in winter, are unmatched. Or, if it’s summer, they go great with a tangy lemonade since they are quite sweet.
If you want to create a menu, you can use them as dessert alongside a simple meal: some vegetable soup and a light main dish (I once served them after a chicken stew with polenta, and everyone loved them). And if you enjoy this kind of recipe, know that crescent rolls with jam or those with nuts follow the same principle; only the filling changes.
The classic version is with Turkish delight, but I’ve made them with apricot jam, plum spread, chocolate cream, and even with old marmalade forgotten in the fridge. If you feel experimental, try half and half: one with Turkish delight, one with nuts – they never last long at parties.
I see them best at breakfast with coffee (though they aren’t very diet-friendly…), but also as a snack with tea, or if you have unexpected guests. I took a tray to the office, and everyone asked for the recipe.
Questions I’ve often received or had myself:
1. Does the dough really need to be refrigerated? Yes, otherwise it’s too sticky, and you can’t roll it out. But don’t keep it in there for more than an hour; you don’t want it to harden.
2. Can it be made without sour cream? Yes, but it won’t be as tender. You can use yogurt, to keep it fatty, or kefir, but the texture differs a bit.
3. With margarine or butter? Either works, but the taste is definitely better with butter. Margarine is for those who are fasting or have intolerances.
4. Does the Turkish delight have to be cut very small? Yes, otherwise it breaks the dough and melts oddly in the oven.
5. What if the dough sticks badly? That means you didn’t add enough flour or it didn’t chill long enough. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface when rolling it out, don’t incorporate it directly into the dough, or you’ll harden it.
6. Can the dough be frozen? Yes, but only before you roll it. Take it out, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, and then work with it as usual.
7. Can they be made in advance for a party? Yes, and they keep well for 3-4 days; just keep them cool, not in the sun or near the stove, or the powdered sugar will soften.
8. What do I brush them with? I don’t brush anything; just sprinkle with powdered sugar at the end. If you want, you can brush them with a bit of beaten egg before baking, but they won’t be the classic white crescent rolls anymore.
For calories, if you want to be precise, there are about 90-110 kcal per crescent roll (depending on how big you make them). From one tray, you get about 3500-4000 kcal in total, but it’s clear you won’t eat 10 at once unless you forgot to have lunch. Most of the calories come from butter/margarine and Turkish delight, but for how rarely you make them, it’s worth it. They have some protein from the eggs and sour cream, plenty of carbohydrates (especially from the filling), but it’s not a diet dessert. If you want to cut down on calories, you can use less sugar or put in low-fat yogurt, but honestly, it’s better to just make them when you feel like something good, not to lose weight.
The crescent rolls keep best in a metal box, in a cool place, lasting even 4-5 days without problems. They don’t need to be refrigerated. If the sugar softens, you can sprinkle a little more before serving. You can warm them up for 2-3 minutes in the oven or microwave, but don’t leave them too long, or they’ll harden.
Ingredients used and why:
- Flour – the base, holds everything together; I prefer type 000, but type 650 works too
- Fresh yeast – adds fluffiness, rises quickly
- Sugar – for the dough and to feed the yeast
- Sparkling water – makes the dough airier; don’t use still water, it won’t turn out the same
- Butter/margarine – for tenderness and flavor; butter gives the best taste
- Eggs – bind and add color
- Sour cream – for smoothness, tenderness, and flavor
- Salt – balances the sweetness; don’t skip it
- Vanilla sugar – for vanilla flavor, of course
- Vinegar – helps with tenderness; it doesn’t affect the taste at all
- Turkish delight – for filling, it should be as aromatic and colorful as possible to make it enticing
- Powdered sugar – for the finish, to prevent them from being dry
That’s what I had on the table today.
Ingredients: 700 g flour 25 g yeast 60 g sugar 100 ml mineral water 250 g margarine 2 eggs 150 g sour cream 1 teaspoon vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt vanilla sugar powdered sugar 300 g Turkish delight
