Pismaniye (Turkish Floss Halva)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Candy confections Vanilla: Paste Medium

Fine cotton-like strands made by pulling cooked sugar together with flour toasted in butter. This is a home adaptation; the hand-pulled version takes practice. Makes 12 servings in about 2 hr.

Prep 30 min

Cook 30 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr

Servings 12

Ingredients

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servings

1 cup (120 g)all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 g)butter
1 ¼ cups (250 g)sugar
6 tbsp (90 ml)water
½ tsplemon juice
¾ oz (20 g)pistachios, finely ground

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Instructions

Toast the flour with the butter in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly, 15 to 20 minutes until pale golden and nutty. Cool slightly.
Heat the sugar, water and lemon juice without stirring to 285 F (140 C) on a candy thermometer.
Pour onto an oiled marble slab or sheet pan and let cool just until you can handle it, working with oiled heat-safe gloves.
Fold and pull the sugar until it turns pale and opaque, about 5 minutes.
Work in the toasted flour a little at a time, then stretch the mass into a ring and fold, repeating about 25 to 30 times until fine strands form.
Shape the strands into small mounds and sprinkle with pistachios.

Tips

Sugar is very hot; work carefully and use gloves.
Warm the sugar if it stiffens while pulling.
Humidity makes the strands sticky; work on dry days.
Cook the sugar by thermometer to 285 F (140 C); hot sugar causes severe burns.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pişmaniye (turkish floss halva)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 12 servings.

How should I store pişmaniye (turkish floss halva)?

Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Can I make pişmaniye (turkish floss halva) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A confection associated with İzmit in Kocaeli, made of pulled sugar and toasted flour. Serve it with turkish tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

153 Calories / serving

4.2g Fat

28.5g Carbs

1.0g Protein

20.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~1836 cal · 50g fat · 342g carbs · 12g protein · 251g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

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