Mardin Cinnamon Almond Candy — Turkish Sugared Almonds (Badem Şekeri)

Mardin cinnamon almond candy is a traditional Turkish sugared almond, known in Turkish as tarçınlı badem şekeri. Each piece is a whole almond wrapped in a hard, crunchy sugar shell that has been spiced with cinnamon, so the first bite is a clean snap of sweetness and warm spice before you reach the toasted nut at the center. These are the oval, pale-tan candies that fill the sweet shops of Mardin, the old stone city in southeastern Turkey where this confection is a local specialty.

Badem şekeri is one of the oldest styles of Turkish candy — sugar built up in thin layers around a nut until it forms a smooth, brittle coat. The Mardin version leans on cinnamon, which gives it a deeper, spiced character than the plain white sugared almonds you find elsewhere in Turkey. The texture is the point: a firm crunch on the outside, then the almond inside for body and a slightly roasted, nutty finish.

It travels and keeps well, which is why it has long been a candy people bring home as a gift or set out for guests with Turkish coffee or black tea. It also sits naturally on a dessert or mezze table alongside lokum and other sweets, and works as a small, shareable treat any time of year.

• Whole almond in a crunchy cinnamon-sugar shell — Turkish badem şekeri
• A specialty of Mardin in southeastern Turkey
• Cinnamon-spiced, not plain white sugared almonds
• Keeps well — good for gifting, hosting, coffee and tea time
• Available in 250g and 500g

Contains almonds (tree nuts). May contain traces of other nuts.