If you’ve had Turkish delight (lokum) you’ve had loukoumi already, since that’s just what Greeks and Cypriots call it. It’s a soft cube of starch and sugar with powdered sugar on it (some of it ends up on your shirt) and it usually tastes of rosewater or mastic. Sometimes it’s bergamot or citrus instead, and there are often nuts in there too. The one people bring up first comes from Geroskipou, a town in Cyprus.
Loukoumi vs Turkish delight
Honestly we think of the two as one family that just answers to different names. Greek and Cypriot makers lean on mastic and bergamot and they’ve got regional traditions of their own (the Geroskipou loukoumi from Cyprus is a protected one) while everyone else lumps the whole category under Turkish delight.
Flavors and texture
What you’re biting into is a soft chewy gel with a floral or citrus smell to it. We’d call rosewater and mastic the classic pair, although bergamot turns up a lot and so do pistachio and almond. That powdered sugar on top is doing a job too (it stops pieces sticking) and it’s also where the snowy look comes from.
Stocking loukoumi
It’s fine at room temperature, and we’ve noticed it gets picked up for two reasons (someone wanting the traditional sweet they know or someone after a gift that feels a bit exotic). Boxed assortments sell themselves on a shelf while the cut cubes are more of a pick-and-mix thing. Have a look at the Greek lines and the soft confection range, and there’s a Turkish delight guide if you want the bigger category.
FAQ
What is loukoumi?
Think of a box of Turkish delight (lokum) and you’re there, it’s just the name used in Greece and Cyprus. Bite into a piece and you’ve got starch and sugar set into a soft gel, with rosewater or mastic coming through most of the time and now and then a bit of citrus.
Is loukoumi the same as Turkish delight?
Yes, it’s the same family of confection with a different name on it. You’ll notice the Greek and Cypriot side mostly in the flavors (mastic and bergamot come up a lot) and in regional versions like the Geroskipou loukoumi of Cyprus.
