Kazandibi in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it

What kazandibi is

A muhallebi, a milk pudding thickened with rice flour and cornflour, is made thick and sweet. The bottom of a wide tray is dusted with sugar and butter, the pudding is poured in, and the tray is set over direct heat until the base caramelises and burns to a dark brown, almost black, in patches. It is chilled, cut into rectangles, and each piece is lifted out and rolled or flipped so the burnt surface faces up. The flavour is milk and caramel with a hint of bitterness from the burn, and the texture is smooth pudding against a chewy skin. Traditionally it was made from tavuk göğsü, chicken-breast pudding; modern versions are plain.

Why the burn matters

The skill is in burning the base evenly without scorching the pudding above it: too little and it is just muhallebi, too much and it is bitter. The best pudding shops in Istanbul have been doing it for a century on the same trays. In the UK, patisseries that make it well are worth knowing, because it is one of the few Turkish desserts that is not sweet with syrup and it appeals to people who find baklava too much.

How to judge it

The caramelised side should be dark brown with darker patches, chewy and tasting of burnt sugar, and the pudding beneath should be smooth, cool and just sweet. It should be served cold. A pale top means it was not burnt enough; a bitter one was burnt too far. It is often served with a scoop of ice cream in restaurants, which is acceptable but not necessary.

Where in the UK it is done well

Turkish patisseries and pudding shops in Harringay and Enfield make it, and it appears on the dessert list of the more traditional restaurants. The ranking below counts businesses in our directory whose name signals kazandibi, muhallebi or a patisserie.