Akide Şekeri

​One of the most deeply rooted and nostalgic confections in Ottoman culinary culture, akide şekeri is not merely a sweet but a symbolic value where state tradition and popular belief intertwine. Classified among hard candies, akide has historically been regarded as a symbol of social trust, political loyalty, and craft aesthetics.

​Etymology and Basic Definition

​The term “akide” is derived from the Arabic root “akit” (contract) or “akid” (bound). ^【1】 This naming refers both to the physical structure of the candy and its historical function as a “contract of allegiance.” ^【2】 According to the definitions of the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), akide şeker is a traditional product obtained by inverting sucrose with appropriate acids, optionally adding glucose syrup, cooking it to a specific consistency, and shaping it with natural flavoring agents.^【3】

​Historical Development

​It is estimated that the history of confectionery in Türkiye extends back to the 14th and 15th centuries.^【4】 In early periods, honey and grape molasses were used as sweeteners, but from the late 18th century, the introduction of European "kelle şekeri" accelerated the modern production of akide.^【5】 In the Ottoman Palace, this production was carried out by the Matbah-ı Amire’s subsidiary Helvahâne-i Hassa Ocağı.^【6】 By the mid-17th century, the Palace’s annual sugar consumption had reached 65 tons, demonstrating the growing importance of these products in the imperial kitchen.^【7】

​The Akideci Craft Guild

​In Istanbul, the tradespeople supplying the public with sweets were divided into two main groups: akideci and şeker şerbetçi.^【8】

• ​Number of Shops and the Gedik System: In the 18th century, the number of akideci shops in Istanbul was fixed at 24.^【9】 Apprentices trained in the trade could only become shop owners upon inheriting an open “gedik” (business right).^【10】
• ​Raw Material Struggles: Akideci craftsmen engaged in a prolonged legal battle with the merchants of the Mısır Çarşısı over access to powdered sugar as a raw material.^【11】 In 1784, a royal decree granted them the right to purchase sugar directly from any merchant for immediate payment.^【12】
• ​Non-Muslim and Koltukçu Craftsmen: Non-Muslim confectioners also operated in Istanbul.^【13】 Jewish journeymen known as “Koltukçu,” who lacked their own shops and produced lower-quality sweets in their homes, occasionally provoked complaints from the official guild members.^【14】

​Political Symbolism

​In Ottoman political history, akide şeker served as a “contract of loyalty.”^【15】 During the ulufe ceremonies, in which janissaries received their salaries, these candies were used to measure the soldiers’ allegiance to the sultan.^【16】

• ​The Grammage of Trust: When a new sultan ascended the throne, the weight of the sugar tray presented by the Janissary Agha was interpreted as a measure of loyalty: if it weighed 400 grams, it signified the army’s full confidence in the sultan.^【17】 A lighter tray was interpreted as a sign of dissatisfaction and potential rebellion.^【18】
• ​Tasting the Candy: The sultan personally tasting the candy offered to him signified the renewal of mutual trust.^【19】

​The Hacıbekir Cut

​By the mid-19th century, a new style emerged in which akide was stretched on marble countertops and cut into bars, known as the "Hacıbekir kesimi" style.^【20】 Begun by Bekir Efendi in 1777 in Bahçekapı,^【21】 this tradition introduced angular, round, or oval aesthetic forms to akide and earned him the imperial title of “Şekercibaşılık.”^【22】

​Technical Production Processes and Quality Criteria

Akide Şekeri (Anadolu Ajansı)

​Physically, akide şeker has a glassy, non-crystalline structure.^【23】

• ​Formulation: To prevent crystallization, 24% glucose syrup or sorbitol may be added.^【24】 At the end of cooking, 0.04% citric acid is added to induce inversion.^【25】
• ​Cooking Methods: In the traditional system, cooking occurs at 168°C in open pots,^【26】 whereas modern vacuum systems prefer 138°C to better preserve the product’s gloss and aroma.^【27】
• ​Hygroscopicity Issue: The greatest challenge for akide is moisture absorption from the air; when it absorbs humidity, its glassy structure becomes dull and opaque, reducing shelf life.^【28】

​Akide Şekeri in Tokat

​In the Tokat region, akide forms the basis of “akit şerbeti,” consumed in postpartum rituals and commercial agreements.^【29】

• ​Commercial Notarization: In earlier times, partnerships among Tokat merchants were spiritually sealed by drinking this sherbet as a formal affirmation of mutual trust.^【30】
• ​Marriage Rituals: During engagement ceremonies, when the bride’s father takes the candy and drops it into a glass, he signals: “Let the akit sherbet be prepared; I give my consent.”^【31】
• ​Village Candy: Due to its widespread popularity in rural areas during the Republican period, it is also known among the public as “köylü şekeri” (village candy).^【32】

​Role in Festivals and Celebrations

​In the Ottoman period, during ceremonies such as circumcision and marriage (sûr-i hümayun), statues made from akide şeker were displayed in “Şeker Alayları” (Sugar Parades).^【33】 In the 1582 festivities, enormous sugar sculptures were presented to the public.^【34】 During Ramazan Bayramı, akide şeker always headed the list of gifts sent by the Grand Vizier to palace personnel.^【35】