Turkish Soda-Fried Syrup Pastries

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These crispy, ridged Turkish pastries are piped from a choux-style dough enriched with baking soda, fried until deeply golden, and immediately plunged into cold lemon-scented sugar syrup. The result is a sweet treat with a crackly exterior, a hollow center, and a glossy, sticky finish that defines Turkish street-dessert culture.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 18 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 54 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 32 gSugar
• 5 gProtein
• 160 mgSodium
• 55 mgPotassium
• 28 mgCalcium
• 1.6 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the syrup

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 thin strip lemon peel

For the dough

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp baking soda

For frying

• 3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or canola, for deep-frying

Directions

1. Make the syrup first: combine sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, discard the peel, and chill the syrup thoroughly in the refrigerator until cold.
2. For the dough, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, glossy ball forms and pulls away from the sides, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each, until the dough is smooth, glossy, and slightly ribbon-like. Stir in the baking soda just until combined; the dough will feel aerated.
4. Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Line a tray with paper towels and have the cold syrup nearby in a wide bowl. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (about 1/2 inch) with the dough.
5. Pipe 2-inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil, snipping each one off with oiled kitchen scissors. Fry 6 to 8 pieces at a time, turning gently, until deep golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes total.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried pastries briefly to paper towels to remove excess oil, then immediately drop them into the cold syrup. Let them soak for 30 to 60 seconds, turning once so they absorb the syrup evenly.
7. Lift the pastries out of the syrup and arrange on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, ideally the same day they are made.
8. Repeat with the remaining dough, regulating the oil temperature between batches so the pastries stay crisp and do not absorb excess oil.

Cook’s Notes

• The syrup must be thoroughly chilled before soaking; warm syrup will make the pastries soggy instead of giving them a light, glossy coat.
• Keep oil temperature steady at 350°F; oil that is too cool makes greasy pastries, while oil that is too hot browns the outside before the inside cooks through.
• For the authentic ridged look, use a large open star piping tip; small tips will not give the characteristic crinkled surface.
• Eat the pastries within a few hours of frying for the best contrast of crackly crust and syrupy interior, as they soften as they sit.
• A pinch of ground cinnamon or a few drops of rosewater stirred into the cooled syrup adds a fragrant Turkish touch without overpowering the classic flavor.

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