TÜRKPATENT registered Edirne Badem Ezmesi as geographical indication no. 656 in 2021. The specification connects the sweet to Edirne and Ottoman palace cuisine, and defines it through Edirne-grown Hacı Alibey (48-5) almonds, a ratio of about 55% sugar, 35% almond and 10% water, a 120°C syrup and a pale cylindrical shape. Only sweets made in Edirne with that almond can use the protected name commercially; ordinary raw almonds make a practical Edirne-style home version, not the registered product.
Edirne Badem Ezmesi — Recipe Card
Edirne-Style Turkish Almond Paste Sweets
Makes 30 servingsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Edirne Badem Ezmesi
Blanch and peel if needed
If the almonds still have brown skins, cover them with the 1 litre of boiling water for 2 minutes, drain carefully and slip off the skins. Pat thoroughly dry. If using ready-blanched raw almonds, skip the blanching water. Weigh 350 g of peeled kernels for the recipe.
Dry the almonds
Spread the peeled almonds in one layer on a tray. Dry in a 70°C/160°F oven for 60–90 minutes, stirring twice, until the surfaces and centres are dry but the nuts remain pale. Cool completely; warm nuts release oil too quickly in the processor.
Grind to a fine meal
Pulse the cold almonds in a food processor in short bursts to a fine but slightly granular 1–5 mm meal. Stop and scrape the bowl often. Do not run the machine continuously or grind to almond butter.
Cook the syrup to 120°C
Line a heatproof tray or marble work surface with parchment. Put the sugar, 100 ml water and cream of tartar in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat only until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and boil to 120°C/248°F on a candy thermometer. Hot syrup causes severe burns; keep children away and never touch or taste it.
Make the almond paste
Remove the pan from the heat. Add all the ground almonds and stir firmly with a heatproof spatula until no dry meal remains and a thick, pale paste pulls together. Scrape it immediately onto the prepared surface and spread to about 2 cm/3/4 inch thick.
Cool, knead and roll
Leave the paste untouched for 20–30 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle but still pliable. With clean hands, knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth. Divide into three pieces and roll each into a rope about 2 cm/3/4 inch thick. Refrigerate on parchment for 1 hour to firm.
Cut the traditional cylinders
With a clean sharp knife, cut the ropes crosswise into about 30 cylinders, each roughly 2.5 cm/1 inch long. Let the cut surfaces dry for 20 minutes, then arrange the pieces between parchment in an airtight container. Serve at cool room temperature.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-almond-paste-edirne-badem-ezmesi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Protected Edirne identity
The registered confection uses Edirne-grown Hacı Alibey (48-5) almonds and is produced within Edirne. Other good raw almonds make a useful home interpretation, but the result should not be represented commercially as the protected geographical indication.
Candy-thermometer safety
The 120°C/248°F syrup is far hotter than boiling water. Use a deep stable pan, keep water away from the hot syrup, wear closed shoes and let the paste cool before touching it; do not test the syrup with a finger.
Dietary and allergen notes
The recipe is vegan and its ingredients contain no gluten. Almonds are a major tree-nut allergen. Check sugar and cream of tartar labels where cross-contact matters; these labels do not guarantee certification or suitability for coeliac disease.
Texture guide
The finished sweet should be pale ivory, firm enough to cut cleanly and slightly granular rather than oily. Almond butter, extra liquid or undercooked syrup will make it soft and greasy.
How to store and reheat Edirne Badem Ezmesi
Keep the pieces in a single layer between parchment in an airtight container. The registered product is kept cool and dry; for this home batch, use within 3 days at a cool room temperature or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Let chilled pieces stand for 15 minutes before serving, and discard any with mold, fermentation or an off smell.
Edirne Badem Ezmesi: questions and answers
Is Edirne Badem Ezmesi the same as marzipan?
It belongs to the same broad family of almond-and-sugar sweets, but the registered Edirne version has its own almond variety, 55:35:10 sugar-almond-water ratio, 120°C syrup process and small cylindrical form.
Can I use almond flour?
Freshly ground almonds give the clearest flavour and the specified slight granularity. If necessary, use fresh blanched almond flour that smells sweet, not stale, and avoid defatted almond meal; begin checking the texture as soon as it enters the syrup.
Why did my paste turn oily?
The almonds were probably warm or processed too long. Cool them completely, pulse briefly and stop while the meal still looks dry. Kneading a hot mixture for too long can also release oil.
Do I have to refrigerate it?
The registered product is stored in a cool, dry place. A homemade batch can stay airtight in a cool room for up to 3 days; refrigeration for up to 1 week is the more conservative choice in a warm or humid kitchen.
