Koska Mulberry Molasses (Dut Pekmezi) is an 800 g glass jar of one of Anatolia's best-loved fruit syrups. The retailer listing for the same recipe gives a single ingredient, 100% mulberry molasses, and the German-language label on this jar states that it contains no preservatives or additives. Per 100 g it shows 301 kcal, 75.3 g of carbohydrate (73.3 g sugars) and 0.1 g of fibre, with no fat or protein. Mulberry pekmez has a deep dark colour and a distinctly fruity flavour.
Turkish families eat it at breakfast mixed with tahini and scooped up with bread, spooned over yoghurt, porridge or pancakes, or stirred into warm milk. It also works as a natural alternative to sugar syrup in desserts such as semolina halva and baked fruit, in salad dressings, and as a glaze for roast meat or vegetables. Diluted with water it makes a traditional refreshing drink.
Keep the jar closed in a cool, dry place; the best-before date and lot number are on the lid. The label explains that a slight sediment can form through crystallisation, which does not mean the molasses has spoiled: stand the jar in hot water for a while and stir.