Kalburabastı (Date Dessert)

Sini Hurması, one of the most characteristic and widely prepared desserts of the Sivas region, plays a central role in the region’s cultural and social life. Traditionally prepared for every holiday, this dessert is an indispensable treat at all special and social occasions, such as weddings, military send-offs, circumcision ceremonies, and funeral feasts (kulturportali.gov.tr).

As part of the local culture, Sini Hurma has even been incorporated into the engagement period; dates are offered to the bride’s family along with the sacrificial ram, and after the wedding, dates are sent to the groom from the bride’s family. There are two different accounts regarding the origin of the dessert’s name: The first is that it received this name because, during meals served to those returning from the Hajj, it was claimed that the dessert was as beautiful as the dates brought back from the Hajj. A second view holds that the name stems from the practice of adding softened “cennet” dates to the syrup when making the dessert. 

A high-quality Sini Date, as described locally, should be “hıyır hıyır”—that is, crisp—and should not have absorbed too much syrup; it should have a texture that is neither too hard nor too soft. 

Preparing the Fat: Melt margarine (200 gr) and butter (100 gr) in a pan and let cool. 

Liquid Mixture: In a bowl, mix yogurt (1 tea glass), vegetable oil (half a tea glass), and an egg (1) thoroughly. Add the cooled melted fat to this mixture.

Baking soda (1 teaspoon) and flour (about 7 cups) are slowly added to the mixture and kneaded until a smooth dough is formed.

Shaping: Take walnut-sized pieces of dough, flatten them in your hand, place chopped walnuts inside, seal them, and shape them using your fingers.

Baking: Bake the prepared pastries in a preheated 180 °C oven for 30–40 minutes. 

Syruping: Once the dates have come out of the oven and cooled, pour a warm syrup—made with 3 su bardağı sugar and 1.5 su bardağı water—over them. It is essential to syrup the dates 30 minutes before serving to ensure they reach the ideal consistency.