Turkish Almond Paste Badem Ezmesi by Tuğba Kuruyemiş, 200g

Turkish almond paste, known in Turkey as badem ezmesi, is a soft confection made by grinding almonds into a smooth, pliable dough sweetened just enough to let the nut flavor lead. This jar from Tuğba Kuruyemiş — a long-running Turkish nut and confectionery maker based in Aydın — is produced from almonds (45%), sugar, and water, with nothing else added. The result is the pale, cream-colored, marzipan-style sweet that Turks traditionally serve alongside a small cup of Turkish coffee. If you have searched for "almond halva" and landed here, it helps to know the difference. Badem ezmesi is an almond-paste confection, closer to marzipan than to the sesame and tahini halva most people picture. It is sometimes loosely labeled almond halva in export markets, but its base is ground almonds rather than sesame. The texture is dense and tender rather than flaky, and it slices cleanly into small squares or rounds. Each 200-gram jar holds enough to share across a few sittings. Serve the pieces at room temperature after a meal, pair them with coffee or black tea, or fold a little into desserts and baking where you want a real almond note. Many people also reach for it as a homemade-style gift, since it travels well and keeps without refrigeration. Allergen note: this product contains almonds (tree nuts) and may not be suitable for nut-allergic guests. It also contains added sugar. Store it in a cool, dry place with the lid closed; the maker recommends keeping it between about 4 and 20°C and away from direct heat and sunlight. Made in Turkey by Tuğba Kuruyemiş. Delivered to your door, so you can keep an authentic Turkish coffee-table sweet on hand.