Halva
Halva, a tahini-based sesame confection, has a rich, nutty sesame flavor and unique, fudgy texture that melts delightfully in the mouth. Enjoy it with coffee, tea, or as a sweet after-dinner treat.
Servings: 24
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups tahini, room temperature, well-stirred
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- Roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the pan. Line an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch by 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, ensuring a 2-inch overhang on the sides. Cut slits at each corner of the pan to help the parchment lay flat.
- Season the tahini. In a large, heatproof bowl, combine the tahini, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Stir well to combine.
- Make the sugar syrup. Place sugar and water in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Attach a candy thermometer to the pot. Stir the sugar initially to help it dissolve. Once it begins to simmer, stop stirring, but occasionally swirl the pan. Continue heating until the sugar reaches 250°F. A drop of this syrup into water should form a firm ball.
- Mix the halva. Carefully stream the hot sugar syrup into the tahini mixture while stirring continuously until the mixture is fully combined and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. This will take less than a minute. Avoid over-mixing to prevent the mixture from becoming crumbly.
- Mold the halva. Quickly transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, scraping the bowl with a heatproof spatula, and then pressing and spreading it evenly into the pan. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if using.
- Chill and serve. Allow the halva to cool to room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate until fully set, about 3 hours. Once set, lift the halva out of the pan, peel away the parchment, and slice into pieces. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the tahini paste used in this recipe.
- To roast pistachios: Roast in a 300°F oven until warm and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes, then cool and chop.
- Variations:
- Chocolate Halva: After adding the sugar syrup, quickly mix in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate. Top it with cacao nibs for added bitterness and crunch.
- Chocolate Pistachio Halva: In a 300°F oven, toast 1 cup pistachios until they’re golden and fragrant. Coarsely chop and add half the pistachios to the tahini mixture. After adding the sugar syrup, quickly add in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate. Add the remaining 1/2 c chopped pistachios to the top of the halva once it’s in the pan.
- Coffee Cardamom Halva: Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom to the tahini mixture. Top the finished halva with chocolate covered espresso beans or 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
- Pistachio Rose Halva: In a 300°F oven, toast 1 cup pistachios until they’re golden and fragrant. Coarsely chop and add half the pistachios to the tahini mixture. Replace the vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon rose water. Add the remaining 1/2 c chopped pistachios to the top of the halva once it’s in the pan.
- Dried Fruit Halva: After mixing the halva, fold in chopped dried figs, apricots, cherries, raisins, mangoes, or other dried fruits for added texture and flavor contrast.
Nutrition
Calories: 129.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.6g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 29.7mg | Potassium: 69.2mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 10.4g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 21.4mg | Iron: 0.7mg
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