Halka tatlısı is a Turkish street dessert shaped like a fried, ridged ring, thoroughly soaked in sugar syrup. If you have ever walked through the streets of Istanbul and seen glass-enclosed carts full of golden, shiny spirals stacked on top of each other, you have most likely encountered this very sweet.
It is one of the most widespread and affordable desserts in Turkey. At first glance, it resembles Spanish churros coiled into a circle, but once you bite into it, you will find that it is something completely different. It is a dessert that is not bought in boxes to take home for a festive table, but is eaten while walking, from a paper bag, right on the busy street.
The name of this dish is prosaic and perfectly descriptive. The word “halka” means ring or circle in Turkish, while “tatlısı” is a general term for a sweet or dessert. The base of the dessert is a specific type of choux pastry. The deep grooves and ridges are not just for decoration. They increase the surface area of the dough, which means more room for a crispy crust and more folds where the syrup can get trapped. The dough is extruded directly into hot oil, where it is fried to a dark golden to mahogany color. The hot, freshly fried rings are immediately tossed into cold syrup. This contrast causes the porous dough to literally soak up the liquid like a sponge. If the syrup were hot, the dessert would get soggy; this way, it remains crisp on the surface while being full of juice inside.
Halka tatlısı is served in the simplest way possible – the vendor hands you the ring in a piece of paper. Due to its extreme sweetness, this dessert is rarely eaten in large quantities. One ring is usually enough. Locals often do not order anything else with it, but if you have the chance, it is perfectly complemented by Turkish tea.
The closest relative of halka tatlısı is undoubtedly tulumba, which is essentially the identical dough and preparation method, only the shape is different – tulumba are small, about five-centimeter cylinders.
I tasted halka tatlısı at a street stall right on Eminönü Square in Istanbul, just a short walk from the Egyptian Bazaar. The vendor had a small glass-enclosed cart around which a queue was constantly forming. One large ring cost 5 TRY (0.30 EUR), making it unrivaled as the cheapest gastronomic experience of my entire stay.
Bon appétit!
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