Kemalpasa Dessert Description and Distinctive Features of the Product: Kemalpaşa Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Cheese Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Dessert is a traditional sweet made by baking a dough crafted from fresh, unsalted teleme cheese, semolina, flour, eggs, and a rising agent. This dough is shaped into a half-sphere form, baked, and then soaked in syrup. The defining characteristic of Kemalpaşa Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Cheese Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Dessert lies in the use of fresh, unsalted teleme cheese within its ingredients. The history of Kemalpaşa Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Cheese Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Dessert goes back about a hundred years. It is believed that this dessert began as a homemade cheese sweet prepared by a migrant woman for her children. Originally made on a small, household scale and enjoyed by a limited group, the dessert gradually transformed into a commercial product when it was introduced to the people of Mustafakemalpaşa district in Bursa during the 1920s. At that time, the local ice cream vendor, Ahmet Bey, started selling the dessert he made at home in his shop, thus giving it a commercial presence. As its popularity grew and more people accepted it, the number of producers and sellers increased. Various recipe variations emerged through experimentation. Although initially part of Ahmet Bey’s small business, the dessert gained wider recognition when some of his employees established their own production facilities outside the district. Between 1955 and 1965, the production of Kemalpaşa Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Cheese Dessert / Mustafakemalpaşa Dessert mainly relied on cheese made from the milk of sheep extensively raised in the region, which caused the dessert’s production to be seasonal. In later years, there was a mandatory switch from sheep’s milk to cow’s milk. This change was driven by rising demand and the fact that new consumers did not favor the distinct aroma of teleme cheese made from sheep’s milk. Until the 1970s, copper cookware was commonly used in production, but today stainless steel and double-walled pots have replaced them. While the dessert was initially produced entirely by hand, by the late 1970s, the introduction of machines for cutting and stacking dough allowed it to be manufactured on an industrial scale. The growth in production and renewed commercial activity helped the dessert gain wider popularity throughout the country. However, to overcome its naturally short shelf life, new preservation methods were necessary. Various trials were carried out to enable the dessert, which was originally dried under the sun after baking, to be sold on market shelves, especially in Istanbul. Although sun-drying after the initial bake worked well initially, relying on sunlight was not always practical. As a result, a second heat treatment, known as re-baking, was introduced to reduce the moisture content in the dessert and extend its shelf life. During this period, a smaller version of the dessert was also developed, broadening the range of available products. The 1980s, especially following the adoption of double baking, saw a significant increase in the amount of dessert shipped to Istanbul. The invention of the tray cutting machine in 1985 demonstrates how the local community (local masters) gradually embraced technology in the dessert’s production. This innovation eliminated the manual process of arranging trays before baking and marked a shift towards more industrialized manufacturing. Since then, although the core production method has stayed consistent, modern technology-based production facilities have become the norm. Originating from the Mustafakemalpaşa district, this dessert has now become a widely recognized and produced sweet treat throughout Turkey.