Kazandibi is a Turkish milk dessert. It was traditionally made using chicken breast. Today, it is often replicated without the meat and consists of milk, cream, sugar, starch and flavorings like vanilla and cinnamon.
A small amount of the sugar is poured onto a greased pan or tray then caramelized. The milk and cream are cooked then poured over the caramelized layer. It is then baked or cooked some more.
Once cooled, it is sliced into rectangles and removed from the pan or tray by rolling it up. This causes the dark brown caramelized sugar to become the outside layer. The other way to serve is by cutting out a piece, skipping the roll and flipping the piece over so the caramelized layer is facing up.
Some kazandibi is made with mastic. It is a popular flavoring ingredient in the Middle East. It is derived from the mastic tree – a type of evergreen that only grows mainly in Greece. It gives the kazandibi a somewhat floral or herbal like flavor.
Origin and Significance
Kazandibi originated from Turkey. It is believed that its roots can be traced back to the Ottoman empire to a dessert known as Tavuk Göğüsü. It is a very old, savory pudding which is made using chicken breast. Kazandibi is the simplified, sweet version of Tavuk Göğüsü.
Turkish Kazandibi Recipe
Kazandibi is a Turkish milk dessert consisting of milk, cream, sugar, starch and flavorings like vanilla and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- Whole milk - 53 oz.
- Heavy cream - 10.5 oz.
- Corn starch - 6 oz.
- Granulated sugar - 12.5 oz.
- Salt - 1 pinch
- Mastic - 0.04 0z.
- Butter - 1 tbsp
- Confectioners’ sugar - 1.5 oz.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320 F.
- In a mortar and pestle add 1 tablespoon of sugar, the mastic and crush them well. Set aside.
- In a pot add the milk, heavy cream, corn starch, the remaining sugar, salt and cook over medium-low heat.
- Whisk for 5-6 minutes, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
- Remove from the heat, add the mastic and whisk.
- In a 10-inch frying pan with metal handles, add the butter and spread it over the whole surface.
- Spread the confectioners’ sugar and 1/3 of the pudding mixture.
- Transfer the pan over high heat and cook it for 4-5 minutes, until the pudding is almost burned.
- Remove from the heat and allow 5-10 minutes for the mixture to cool.
- Add the remaining pudding and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Let it cool until firm before slicing and serving
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 434Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 102mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 0gSugar: 49gProtein: 6g
Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.