What is Kazandibi?
Turkish milk based desserts are combined under "Muhallebi" which is like a pudding. Muhallebi is a dessert made using milk and served cold. There are varieties such as mastic pudding and water pudding. In the legends, the origin of the dessert is based on the Sassanid Empire.
Kazandibi Dessert is a type of muhallebi which is also the sister dessert of the Palace (Payitaht) and folk cuisine, which is made from chicken breast, which has been caramelized and tasted burnt.
Palace Cuisine in the Ottoman Empire is not just a place for cooking; At the same time, it is a research base that does R&D and constantly makes new recipes and develops new flavors. So much so that the masters working in the printing press were given opportunities to show their creativity. Kazandibi dessert is exactly the result of this development of Chicken Breast Pudding. * this name is given cause the look of it was so much like it. It may sound strange in English but you know direct translation is never as strong as in its native.
After the chicken breast is cooked, sugar is sprinkled inside the tray, and the dessert is spread evenly on it while it is hot. Then the sugar under the embers is burned. Because of the burning of sugar, this dessert was called Kazandibi. Those who want to taste a little more burnt sugar, especially in milk desserts, prefer wondibi more.
Due to its milky sweetness, it is consumed more especially in summer months. It is also consumed lovingly during Ramadan. This is how these sister desserts, which were made in the palace and public kitchens for many years, were made by the dessert shops in Istanbul and started to become widespread.
There are two types of Kazandibi. Normally, Kazandibi is made from chicken breast. The chicken breast that has not been added is called "Muhallebi Kazandibi". The preparation of the Custard Kazandibi is as follows. It is made with milk, sugar, starch and rice flour. After baking, sprinkle powdered sugar on a tray. Cooked pudding is poured into a half finger-thick tray. The bottom is fried by turning it over the fire. After cooling, cut into squares. Pieces removed with a chisel are inverted onto the plate. Sprinkle powdered sugar and rose water on top.
