Kazandibi Recipe - Cooking Gorgeous (2024)

Published: Jun 11, 2022 · Modified: Jun 23, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

Kazandibi is a traditional milk pudding made with butter, milk, cream, sugar, starch, and flavorings such as vanilla or ground mastic gum.

The name "Kazandibi" refers to the "burnt bottom of the cauldron" that it is cooked in.

Same as Sutlac - Turkish Rice Pudding, Ayva Tatlisi - Turkish Quince Dessert, Tavuk Göğsü - Turkish Chicken Breast Pudding, and Keskul - Turkish Almond Pudding, this delicious Turkish dessert was developed in the kitchens of the Ottoman Palace and is one of the most popular Turkish desserts today.

This delicious Turkish burnt milk pudding is similar to creme brûlée or caramelized milk pudding.

Legend has it that when this puddingwas cooked in a cauldron over an open flame, the bottom and sides wouldbecome caramelized, almost burnt.

Once most of the pudding was served, the scooped-out parts from the bottom of the cauldron were consumed burnt-side up as asecondary dessert.

Why This Recipe Works?

• You only need a few ingredients for this simple yet delicious custard dessert.

• The leftovers would keep for up to five days when refrigerated in an airtight container.

• You can prepare Kazandibi pudding a couple of days in advance and portion it just before serving.

• The addition of double cream to this traditional Turkish recipe makes it more silky and creamy.

• It is very easy to make this burnt milk pudding with step-by-step pictures and a short video in the recipe card below.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for thefull ingredients list withmeasurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Milk -I prefer full-fat milk for milk-based desserts but you can substitute it with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk.

• Cream - Although it is not a traditional ingredient for Kazandibi, double cream or heavy cream helps this custard dessert to have a rich&creamy texture.

• Starch - Same as rice flour, it is used for thickening the pudding.

• Sugar - I use caster sugar or granulated sugar. Adjust the amount to your taste.

• Mastic gum - You can buy it from Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon. Substitute it with vanilla paste.

How to Make Kazandibi Pudding?

Making Kazandibi is very easy and straightforward.

However, you need to follow a few simple steps and tips to achieve the best results:

Prepare the Custard

In a mortar and pestle add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the mastic, and crush them well. Set it aside.

Place ¾ of the milk, cream, and sugar in a pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

Mix the rest of the milk with cornflour and starch in a bowl and turn it into a slurry.

Add the slurry into boiling milk and stir continuously to avoid it clumping until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the mastic (or vanilla paste) along with the butter, and whisk.

Caramelize / Burn the Custard

Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar to cover the bottom of a heatproof glass tray or metal pan.

I used a tray the size of 30 cm x 21 cm (12" x 8") but you can use a smaller size if you want your pudding thicker.

Spread ¼ of the pudding over the sugar, place the tray over high heat, and rotate it continuously so all the areas are exposed to the heat evenly.

Cook it for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sugar is caramelized and the bottom of the dessert becomes rich golden brown.

You can help spread it by gently using a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon.

When you've achieved the desired color, remove the tray from the heat.

Add the rest of the pudding on top of the caramelized custard.

Let it cool down to room temperature before refrigerating it overnight, or for a minimum of 6 hours.

Before serving, you can either cut the Kazandibi into squares or make longer strips and roll them gently as you put them on the serving plate.

Garnish with cinnamon powder or nuts for extra flavor!

Recipe FAQs

For more delicious pudding recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag@cookingorgeouson Instagramand hashtag it#cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this Turkish dessert "Kazandibi" as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!

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