Greek Halva Recipes

HALVA (A GREEK SWEET USING SEMOLINA)

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar in the water and milk and bring it to a bare simmer.
• Boil for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• At the same time, brown the semolina in the oil on medium-high heat, stirring continuously.
• This should take 4-5 minutes. Add the nutmeats for the last 2-3 minutes to toast them slightly.
• When the semolina has taken a golden brown colour, add the syrup to it (taking care not to burn your hands, as this bubbles and steams up excessively- be prepared!), turn down the heat and keep stirring until you get a kind of thick porridge. Continue cooking until the mixture is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan as you stir.
• Spoon into a buttered or oiled bundt pan and pack down with the back of a spoon. Let it cool. (I use a silicone bundt pan for this - eliminates the need to grease, and my halvah comes out in a pretty pattern).
• Unmold onto a platter and sprinkle with more walnuts, toasted sesame (optional) and cinnamon.
• You should not put this dessert in the refrigerator.
• It can keep for a few days outside the refrigerator, assuming you can gather enough will power not to eat it all at once.
• Some oil may start to drain off after a day or so, but this is to be expected, just dab it away with some kitchen paper.

GREEK HALVA

Steps:

• In a pot, add the 4 cups of water, 8 cups sugar, 8 cinnamon stick, 8 cloves, and bring to boil for 5 minutes, turn off the heat and add the honey.
• In a deep pot, on medium to high heat add the extra virgin olive oil and 2 cups of semolina. Constantly stir with a wooden spatula until the color changes from a golden blonde to a golden brown.
• Once the color changes add the 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Stir.
• Very carefully, slowly add small amounts of the simple syrup to the semolina (the hot syrup will steam and splatter so be careful).
• On a medium-low heat, continually stir until the mixture thickens. Add the almonds and stir.
• Transfer to a cake pan and let it cool. Turn over onto a cake platter and dust with cinnamon.

GREEK HALVA

Steps:

• Grind the mastica with the teaspoon of sugar until it is a powder.
• Fry the almonds in a saucepan until they are golden brown.
• Remove 1/4 of the almonds (to decorate the pudding at the end).
• Add the semolina to the pan and heat for a minute.
• Add the water and the sugar and gradually bring to a boil, stirring all the time.
• When thickened add the mastica and the sugar.
• When the semolina is ready, it will bubble and be quite thick.
• Pour the mixture into a greased pudding mould and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
• Turn out onto a plate and decorate with the reserved almonds.

BAKED HALVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Mix in semolina and almonds.
• Combine 1 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating batter briefly between each addition. Stir in lemon zest.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Combine water, 3 cups sugar, cloves, and cinnamon in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves into a syrup. Pour syrup over cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let cake cool, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares.