Log inWhat is Pismaniye? Turkish cotton candy explained simply
What is Pismaniye?
Pişmaniye, also known as Turkish cotton candy, is a traditional Turkish dessert made from white sugar, wheat flour, butter, and vegetable margarine.
Although pişmaniye is known and available throughout Turkey, this Turkish dessert is particularly rooted in the Kocaeli/Izmit region.
Name and history of Pismaniye
The actual origin of Pişmaniye lies in 15th century Iran. Since Turkish cotton candy looks like sheep's wool, the Persians named the dessert "Peşmek," which means "wool" in Persian. It is believed that the Persian term "Peşmek" was adopted into Turkish as "Pişmaniye." Pismaniye first spread in ordinary Turkish households before making its way into the palace.
According to legend, the first person to produce pismaniye in Kocaeli was a confectioner named Hayrettin Usta from the town of Kandıra. One of Hayrettin Usta's apprentices was a man named Ethem Efendi, who set up the first pismaniye confectionery production facility in Kapanönü/Izmit and began industrial production of pismaniye.
The production of pismaniye
Pismaniye is made from butter, vanilla (or cocoa), lemon salt, sugar, tahini, flour, and water. To make pişmaniye, the sugar is cooked at 170 degrees until a waxy cream is achieved. This hot caramelized sugar solution is poured onto a cold surface and then cooled and hardened. As the sugar mixture cools, it is placed on a metal sheet, folded by hand or machine, and stretched again. This process, known as pulling, is repeated many times to allow air to penetrate the sugar mixture. The result of this process is a softer and whiter sugar paste. You can see the process in the following video:
