Tahini Halva Recipe

Israeli halva, also known as halvah, is a tahini-based sweet confection with a smooth but sandy texture.

Tahini halva is a silky fudge-like sweet that is simple to make. There’s no way you’ll mess up this recipe. If you follow my recipe, you won’t need a candy thermometer. My tahini was produced at home.

Winter is the time we indulge in sesame seed, peanuts and jaggery recipes. The time when we make Gajak, Sesame Seeds Ladoos, Peanut Jaggery Ladoo are very common in this season. Now in my place, there is an addition of this yum halwa made from sesame seeds.

Contents:

• Tahini Halva Recipe and me
• Why MSK Tahini Halva Recipe
• How to make Tahini Halva Recipe
• For Your Questions
• Some easy halwa recipes
• Recipe card
• Pin for later

Hello, and welcome! I am known as The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen, reinventing the foodie in you! 

Tired of choosing between tasty or healthy meals? No more! Here at the Mad Scientist’s Kitchen, I experiment with flavours and cuisines that are as nutritional as they are delicious.

Join me in my lab as we cook up some treats! You can stay up-to-date with my latest culinary adventures by subscribing to my newsletter. No scam, no spam, just the clink of my pots and pans!

I will love you to follow me on:

• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• YouTube

In the Middle East, the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Poland, this addictive sweet is particularly common.

I had observed a delectable pudding-like exhibit on the counter during our trip to Israel. Our tour guide, Golan, on the other hand, was stern. He kept an eye on me while I was enthralled by the many exhibits. He kept yelling at me to stay away from the displays.

I’ve been wanting to try the halvah for a long time. I could have asked for some as well, but we had so many delectable cuisines that I forgot.

I was planning on asking him for some, but after reading the recipe, I decided to make some myself.

Why MSK Tahini Halva Recipe:

Make this MSK recipe as it is

• Gluten-free
• Vegan
• Versatile
• Easy to make
• Delicious

How to make Tahini Halva Recipe:

Ingredients:

These are the ingredients you will need. For quantities please check the recipe card.

• Tahini
•  Salt
• Vanilla Extract
• Sugar
• Water
• Pistachios

Method:

• On a low temperature on the skillet, toast the pistachios, stirring regularly. You may alternatively bake them for 10 minutes at 150°C/300°F in a preheated oven.
• Regardless of the method, toast until gently browned and aromatic.
• Place the pistachios on a platter and set aside. Allow to cool before chopping roughly.
• Line a plate with parchment paper. Keep an overhang. On the parchment paper sprinkle some of the toasted pistachios
• In a mixing dish, combine the tahini, vanilla extract, salt, and chopped pistachios.
• Place some cold water in a small basin and set it aside. This is the water in which the sugar syrup firm ball stage will be tested.
• Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve most of the sugar.
• Maintain low to medium flame and bring the combination of sugar and water to a boil. Stir the sugar occasionally to ensure that it dissolves thoroughly.
• Take a quarter teaspoon of syrup and drop it into the cold water. You should be able to remove the sugar ball and roll it into a firm ball while remaining soft. When you press the ball, does it keep its shape but can be somewhat flattened?
• If this is the case, remove the pan from the heat.
• Stir the tahini mixture and add the sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream. Constantly mix.
• Mix until the mixture comes together and begins to pull away from the bowl’s sides. Stirring extra will give you crumbly halva.
• Quickly transfer all the halva into the prepared platter.
• Smoothen to the edges and the top. Let the halva cool to room temperature. 
• Cover with calling film and chill for atleast 2 hours.
• Use the overhang and get the halva out of the pan.
• Flip on a cutting board then use a sharp knife to slice as desired.
• Serve.

Substitutes:

• I substituted sugar for the honey in the original recipe. Honey is not heated in Ayurveda, thus I didn’t use it. But feel free to use honey.
• You can use readymade tahini I used tahini that I made myself..
• To make tahini used 1 ½ cups of sesame seeds and I needed 6 tablespoon of oil. 
  • On the stovetop, toast the sesame seeds. Since the seeds are very small toasting in the oven is not advisable.
  • Grind the sesame seeds into a crumbly mixture in the chutney grinder. Add more oil as needed until the tahini is free-flowing.

Variations:

• I used toasted pistachio nuts only but rose and pistachio is a popular combo
• Add Cardamom powder to the tahini mixture.
•  Add poppy seeds to the tahini mixture.
• Mix in melted chocolate in the ready halva and mix quickly. However,chocolate streaks will look very pretty too.
• Add lemon zest in the sugar syrup.

Equipment:

How to serve:

Serve slices of halva with tea. But I loved this yum suggestion in NYT Cooking

Eat it on its own cut into little pieces with a cup of tea, or dip cubes of it in chocolate and top with sesame seeds to serve as an elegant confection at the end of a fancy dinner party. —Melissa Clark

How to store:

• Need halva for a party? Go ahead and make some halva 3 weeks in advance.
•  Store in an airtight container and chill.

For Your Questions:

Protips:

• Mix until the mixture comes together and begins to pull away from the bowl’s sides. Stirring extra will give you crumbly halva.

Frequently asked Questions:

• What is halva and how do you eat it?

  

  Halva tastes sweet and is eaten as a snack with tea, coffee, wine, bread. Eat halva any time of the day.  Halawa is a Middle Eastern dessert that is used as a topping for other desserts or stuffed in pita bread.

• How is halva traditionally eaten?

  

  The texture of halva can be anything from soft that can spread to hard and brittle. You can spoon the halva or cut it. Soft or semi-soft halva can be cut with a sharp knife.

• Is Halawa the same as halva?

  

  Yes, hawala is made from tahini and generally, sweets are called halva or halvah in the Middle East.

Some easy halwa recipes:

Recipe card:

Tahini Halva Recipe

 Halvah is a tahini-based sweet confection with a smooth but sandy texture. Make some today.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranian Cuisine, Middle Eastern

Keyword: halvah, Halwa, Israeli halva, Tahini

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cooling time:: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 450 grams

Calories: 148kcal

Author: ArchanaPotdar

Equipment

• 1 Non-stick tava/skillet
• 1 Spatula
• 1 Bowls
• 1 Plate/tray

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups tahini at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

• On a low temperature on the skillet, toast the pistachios, stirring regularly. You may alternatively bake them for 10 minutes at 150°C/300°F in a preheated oven. Regardless of the method, toast until gently browned and aromatic.
• Place the pistachios on a platter and set them aside. Allow to cool before chopping roughly.
• In a mixing dish, combine the tahini, vanilla extract, salt, and chopped pistachios.
• Place some cold water in a small basin and set it aside. This is the water in which the sugar syrup firm ball stage will be tested.
• Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. The majority of the sugar is dissolved by stirring.
• Bring the sugar and water to boil.
• Bring the combination of sugar and water to a boil. Maintain a low-to-medium flame. Stir the sugar occasionally to ensure that it dissolves thoroughly.
• Take a quarter teaspoon of syrup and drop it into the cold water. You should be able to remove the sugar ball and roll it into a firm ball while remaining soft. When you press the ball, does it keep its shape but can be somewhat flattened?
• If this is the case, remove the pan from the heat.
• Stir the tahini mixture and add the sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream. Constantly mix.
• Mix until the mixture comes together and begins to pull away from the bowl’s sides. If you give in to the urge of adding extra ingredients to the mix, your halva will collapse.
• Quickly transfer all the halva into the prepared platter.
• Smoothen to the edges and the top. Let the halva cool to room temperature.
• Cover with calling film and chill for atleast 2 hours.
• Use the overhang and get the halva out of the pan. Flip on a cutting board then use a sharp knife to slice as desired.
• Serve.

Notes

FAQs:

• What is halva and how do you eat it?

Halva tastes sweet and is eaten as a snack with tea, coffee, wine, bread. Eat halva any time of the day.  Halawa is a Middle Eastern dessert that is used as a topping for other desserts or stuffed in pita bread.

• How is halva traditionally eaten?

The texture of halva can be anything from soft that can spread to hard and brittle. You can spoon the halva or cut it. Soft or semi-soft halva can be cut with a sharp knife.

• Is Halawa the same as halva?

Yes, hawala is made from tahini and generally, sweets are called halva or halvah in the Middle East.

Tried this recipe?Mention @themadscientistskitchen or tag #themadscientistkitchen!

Nutritional Disclaimer: I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Please check with your nutritionist for your dietary needs and restrictions. Ultimately you are responsible for your decisions.

Pin for later: