Kazandibi — Turkish caramelised milk pudding
Kazandibi — "bottom of the pot" — is a remarkable Turkish dessert: milk pudding cooked so that the bottom of the pan deliberately scorches into a thin, dark caramel skin, which is then peeled off as the serving surface. The result is a pudding with a custardy white top and a deeply browned, slightly bitter caramel underside.
i. Origin & history
Kazandibi is a member of the Ottoman milk-pudding family (which also includes muhallebi, tavukgöğsü — yes, the chicken-breast pudding — and sütlaç). The deliberate scorching is its signature; what would be a mistake in any other context is the whole point here.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 1 litre whole milk
- 150 g sugar
- 60 g rice flour
- 30 g cornstarch
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp caster sugar (for the bottom)
iii. Method
- Whisk rice flour and cornstarch with 200 ml milk to a smooth slurry.
- Bring remaining milk and sugar to a simmer. Whisk in the slurry; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick (5-6 minutes). Stir in butter and vanilla.
- Heat a wide non-stick pan very thoroughly until smoking-hot. Off heat, sprinkle the 1 tbsp sugar evenly across the base. Return to medium heat for 30 seconds — the sugar should caramelise.
- Pour the hot pudding into the pan over the caramel. Return to a medium flame and cook, undisturbed, for 8-10 minutes — the bottom should be visibly browning (lift the edge to check) but not burning.
- Cool to room temperature in the pan. Once set, invert onto a serving tray — caramelised side up. Cut into rectangles, roll each up jellyroll-style, and serve chilled.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Tavukgöğsü kazandibi includes shredded poached chicken breast (yes, really) for a faintly stringy texture. Sade kazandibi is the plain version described here. Modern versions sometimes add a layer of chocolate or pistachio cream.
vi. Common questions
What is kazandibi?
Kazandibi is turkish caramelised milk pudding, from middle eastern cuisine. The result is a pudding with a custardy white top and a deeply browned, slightly bitter caramel underside
Where is kazandibi from?
Kazandibi is from the middle eastern dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does kazandibi keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 2 days refrigerated.