Have Some Halva

The first time I tasted Halva I thought I was eating flavored particle board.

It was in a gift box sent to me from a friend in Israel. I had no idea what it was. The writing on the box was in Hebrew and all my friend told me on her note was that it was a popular sweet treat in her country. I could see from the picture on the box, the individually wrapped squares came in three flavors: vanilla, almond and honey. I had no idea which one I would be sampling as I bit into the soft, slightly greasy square. I certainly was not prepared for the sawdust washing down my throat.

I teased my family into trying this would-be delicacy, anticipating the sputtering and frowns, and laughing at their expressions. It became quite the joke.

But the joke was on me.

You see, Halva is a sweet, candylike confection of turkish origin with a flavor base of ground sesame seeds (Tahini) and honey. Other ingredients are added, such as the vanilla and almond,to produce a variety of flavor profiles. It’s the crystallization of the natural sugars that create the distinct texture. It’s a fascinating play on the palate. Though the texture at first seems to be a distraction, it soon becomes an accent to the burst of flavor packed in a small bite.

What you cannot anticipate is the addictive quality of such a simple candy.

My obsession started in the Jerusalem market when a vendor handed me a sample of his espresso halva.

Oh. My. Goodness.

A coffee bean melting in my mouth. I couldn’t get enough. It wasn’t surprising that I whipped out my shekles and bought a block. I nibbled as we walked the streets of Jerusalem, and a couple of days later when I landed in France, I was still nibbling. Yes. I was snacking on an Israeli sweet in France. The irony could not be missed.

By the time I got home, I only had enough to offer my family and friends a fingernail size sample before the dreaded day came when my box was empty.

I found a market near me that sold boxes of the individually packaged, manufactured squares, and although good they did not come near the wonder of the fresh halva of Israel. I was going through withdrawals. It was time for a radical move.

You guessed it. The pots came out.

Homemade Halva

Base
2 cups honey
1 1/2 cups tahini, well stirred to combine

Optional ingredients (Up to 2 cups of one of the following to taste)

Sliced Almonds
Peanuts
Cashews
Bourbon Glazed Pecans
Pistachios
Dried Fruits
Bits of chocolate
Marshmallow
Bits of your favorite cookie

Or Infuse one of the following flavors
Vanilla
Cocoa
Coffee
Green Tea
Cinnamon
Pumpkin

Directions

Heat honey on medium heat until your candy or instant-read thermometer reads 240˚ F, or indicates the “soft ball” stage of candy making. To confirm that you are at the “soft ball” stage, drop a bit of the honey into a cup of cold water. It should form a sticky and soft ball that flattens when removed from the water.

Have the tahini ready to heat in a separate small pot, and once the honey is at the appropriate temperature, set the honey aside and heat tahini to 120˚ F.

Add the warmed tahini to the honey and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. At first it will look separated but after a few minutes, the mixture will come together smoothly.

Add the optional ingredient, if using. Continue to mix until the mixture starts to stiffen, for a good 6-8 minutes. Pour mixture into a well-greased loaf pan, or into a greased cake pan with a removable bottom.

Let cool to room temperature and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Leave in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours. This will allow the sugar crystals to form.

Invert to remove from pan and cut into pieces with a sharp knife.

To transform it from a candy to a dessert pastry, try glazing it with a complimentary icing.

It will keep for months in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic…that is if you don’t eat it all first!

Halva some…You’ll be addicted too.