Kazandibi

Kazandibi is a Turkish milk pudding whose base is deliberately scorched until it turns dark and caramelised. The name means "bottom of the pot", a reference to the burnt layer that forms on the bottom of the cooking vessel. It is a familiar dessert in Turkish pastry shops and home kitchens, and the scorched base is the feature that sets it apart from other milk puddings.

What it really is

Milk is thickened with sugar and a starch, usually rice flour or cornstarch, often with a little cream, and simmered slowly until smooth and heavy. The mixture is poured into a wide pan. Sugar is sprinkled over the base and the bottom is held over direct heat until it blackens in patches. The pudding is then poured over this burnt layer and left to set. Once cold, it is turned out so the dark base sits on top, and cut into squares or wedges.

Kazandibi is not a custard. It contains no egg, and its flavour comes from the milk and the caramelised sugar. The classic pudding is vegetarian and contains no wheat, since the starch is rice flour or cornstarch.

How it's served

• Cold, turned out of the dish, cut into squares or wedges with the burnt side up.
• On a small dessert plate, usually on its own after a meal.
• Served chilled, so the pudding firms and the crust stays firm.

How to write it on the menu

• Name it as a Turkish milk pudding and say the top is burnt and caramelised, so guests expect a bitter-sweet crust.
• Flag milk clearly. The pudding is made with milk and cream, so list MILK on the menu.
• Say that the dish is vegetarian and made with starch, not flour, so guests with wheat concerns know the classic recipe contains no wheat.
• Say it is served cold, and that the base is cooked on purpose to darken.