Turkish Delight

The habit-forming qualities of Turkish Delight feature in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"

The small cubes of gel-based confection, known in the west as Turkish Delight, were first created by Bekir Effendi who opened his confectionery shop in Constantinople (Istanbul) the year of the American revolution in 1776. The original recipe was made with honey or molasses, typically flavored with rosewater, lemon or orange. Nowadays, nuts, dates or other dried fruits are often added. A layer of powdered sugar makes the otherwise sticky candy easier to handle. The habit-forming qualities of Turkish Delight feature prominently in the children’s book “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C. S. Lewis.

The timing of events in the traditional recipe is a bit of a challenge. Here are a few examples:

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dessertssweetspastries/r/turkishdelight.htm

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Non-Evil-Turkish-Delight-51139600

This related "applet" or "cotlet" recipe uses gelatin as the thickening agent rather than the typical cornstarch, is easier to make and creates a similar irresistible jelly cube:

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/z64jb6zb/aplets-or-cotlets.html

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/6l7om2ko/cotlets.html