Maraş Çöreği

Maraş çöreği is a traditional bakery product made from flour, water, margarine, fresh yeast, salt, and caraway seeds, distinguished by its unique ingredients and preparation technique specific to the Kahramanmaraş region.

Product Profile and Geographical Indication Type

Maraş Çöreği belongs to the category of çörek products. This geographical indication was registered on 13 June 2018 under the Industrial Property Law No. 6769, granting protection effective from 19 September 2016.

Maraş Çöreği (AA)

Definition and Distinctive Characteristics

The most distinctive feature of Maraş çöreği is the use of a notched carob wood rolling pin to roll out the dough pieces into ribbed patterns, with each rolled piece having a maximum diameter of 15 cm. The notched carob rolling pin is a specialized tool crafted by Maraş carpenters from carob wood, measuring 8 cm in width and 33 cm in length, with groove depth and spacing of 0.5 cm each. The baked çörek has a thickness of approximately 8 mm.

Ingredients: The basic ingredients and their proportions used in the production of Maraş çöreği (based on 10 kg of flour) are as follows:

• Flour: 10 kg (standard bread wheat flour)
• Margarine: up to 4 kg (baker’s vegetable margarine)
• Salt: 120–130 g (of suitable purity and cleanliness for consumption)
• Caraway seeds: 20–30 g (of suitable purity and freshness for consumption)
• Fresh yeast: 250 g
• Water: 4 l (potable quality)

Maraş Çöreği in the Hands of Artisans (AA)

Production Method

The production process of Maraş çöreği includes the following steps:

1. Pre-mix Preparation: Water, salt, fresh yeast, and caraway seeds are mixed for several minutes in a mixing vessel to form a homogeneous blend.
2. Addition of Fat and Kneading: Margarine is added to this mixture and blending continues. Finally, all the flour is incorporated and kneaded for 10–15 minutes until a smooth dough surface is achieved.
3. Resting and Dividing: The prepared dough is rested for 5–10 minutes, after which artisans divide it by hand into pieces of approximately 110 g each. These pieces are then left to rest for about 10 minutes before being rolled and baked.
4. Rolling: The rested dough pieces are rolled out using a notched carob rolling pin with 0.5 cm groove depth and spacing, forming small rectangular patterns on the dough surface, with a maximum diameter of 15 cm.
5. Preventing Expansion: After rolling, the surface of the dough is gently tapped with the end of the rolling pin at several points to prevent bubbling or bulging during baking.
6. Baking: The çörek is baked for 3–5 minutes in stone ovens preheated with oak wood fire at approximately 250 °C, until it acquires its characteristic golden cream color.
7. Cooling: After baking, the Maraş çörek is placed on wooden racks to cool. It may be consumed either warm or cold, according to preference.

Geographical Origin and Boundaries

Although the registration document does not explicitly define geographical boundaries, the naming of the product as “Maraş Çöreği” and the fact that the notched carob rolling pin is exclusively made by artisans from Maraş demonstrate a strong association between the product and the Kahramanmaraş region.

Registration Process and Details

Maraş çöreği was applied for registration under application number C2016/089 on 19 September 2016 and was officially registered as a geographical indication on 13 June 2018 under registration number 361. This registration provides legal protection under Industrial Property Law No. 6769, effective from the date of application.