Hatay Tandır Kahkesi is a salty cookie (kahke) variety, specific to the Hatay province. Wheat flour, drinking water, salt, yeast, vegetable margarine, mahleb, sugar, and sesame are used in its production. It is distinguished by its crisp structure, mahleb aroma, and sesame taste. It takes its name from traditionally being baked in tandoors. It was registered as an indication of origin on 15.08.2024 upon the application of the Hatay Governorship.

Characteristics of Hatay Tandır Kahkesi

Hatay Tandır Kahkesi is a salty kahke variety in the bakery and pastry products group. The baked product is light brown or brown in color. Its structure has a crisp and melt-in-the-mouth texture.

The distinctive characteristics of the product come from the mahleb aroma and sesame taste. Traditionally being baked in tandoors gives the product its name, but today it is also produced in stone-based, tube, or matador ovens. This Kahke, which is part of the Hatay culinary culture, has the characteristic of being able to be stored for about 1 month without going stale.

Production Method

Production begins with mixing the basic components (wheat flour, drinking water, salt, instant or fresh yeast, vegetable margarine, mahleb, granulated sugar).

1. Kneading: The dough is kneaded for approximately 15-20 minutes until it reaches an earlobe consistency.
2. Fermentation: The dough is left to ferment for 30-40 minutes at a temperature of 20-25°C.
3. Portioning and Shaping: The fermented dough is divided into 40-50 gram portions (bezeler). The portions are rolled into a rope-shape and their ends are joined to form a ring (simit) shape.
4. Coating with Sesame: The prepared rings are first dipped into a container full of water, and then into a tray containing unroasted sesame, to be coated with sesame.
5. Baking: The sesame-coated kahkes are arranged on trays. They are traditionally baked in tandoors or in ovens preheated to 160-180°C for 15-20 minutes.
6. Cooling and Packaging: After baking, the cooled products are packaged with food-grade materials.

Geographical Border and Inspection

The production, processing, and all other stages of Hatay Tandır Kahkesi must be carried out within the borders of the Hatay province. Inspections are conducted under the coordination of the Hatay Governorship; by an inspection authority of 5 people formed with the participation of one expert each from the Hatay Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, the Hatay Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen, the Antakya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the İskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Mustafa Kemal University.

In the inspections, the compliance of the product's components, dough preparation, portioning, shaping, sesame coating, and baking stages with the production method specified in the registration is checked. Inspections are carried out at least once a year.