Akide Şekeri by Hafız Mustafa 1864 is a traditional Turkish hard candy associated with Ottoman confectionery culture. The product is made by boiling sugar and water until a thick sugar mixture is obtained which develops a firm and glass-like structure as it cools. The mixture is shaped and cut into small pieces suitable for individual consumption. The candies are characterized by pronounced sweetness and a hard texture that gradually dissolves in the mouth. Akide candies are traditionally produced in various flavors including cinnamon, rose, lemon, bergamot, sesame and hazelnut. Hafız Mustafa traces its production of sugar candies to 1864 when Hacı İsmail Hakkı Bey opened a confectionery shop in Istanbul’s Bahçekapı district. The first candies were made in the basement of the shop using a stone mortar. Akide Şekeri is therefore one of the confectionery’s oldest documented products. The name akide derives from a word associated with an agreement or pledge and reflects the candy’s historical symbolism of loyalty.