Halva Ice Cream Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the sugar, the cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and add the milk in a slow stream, stirring. In a heavy saucepan cook the custard over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it comes to a boil, boil it, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, and strain it through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water. Stir in the vanilla, let the custard cool, stirring, and chill it, covered, until it is cold. Stir in the cream, freeze the custard in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions, and stir in the halvah. (Alternatively, the halvah may be stirred into 1 quart of softened premium vanilla ice cream.) Transfer the ice cream to a metal bowl, freeze it until it is frozen solid, and scoop it into glasses. Spoon the orange honey syrup over the ice cream.

Steps:

• Line an 8x8" baking pan or a 9x4" loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on 2 sides. Using a wooden spoon, mix tahini, salt, and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl.
• Pour 1/4 cup water into a small saucepan, then stir in sugar. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan.
• Bring sugar to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally to help sugar dissolve, until thermometer registers 250°F. Immediately remove syrup from heat. Gradually stream syrup into tahini mixture, mixing tahini constantly with wooden spoon. Continue to stir just until halva comes together in a smooth mass and starts to pull away from sides of bowl (less than a minute). Be careful not to overmix or halva will be crumbly.
• Working quickly, scrape halva into prepared pan, pushing toward edges; smooth top. Let cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic and chill at least 2 hours. Remove from pan using parchment overhang. Slice as desired to serve.
• Do Ahead: Halva can be made 3 weeks ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.
• For Pistachio-Rose Halva
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 300°F. Spread 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Prepare halva, adding half of the chopped pistachios and 1/4 tsp. rosewater to the tahini, salt, and vanilla mixture.
• Stir sugar syrup into tahini mixture and form halva as directed. Sprinkle remaining nuts over, pressing gently to adhere. Cover and chill as directed.
• For Cardamom-Chocolate Halva:
• Prepare halva, adding 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom to the tahini, salt, and vanilla mixture.
• Stir sugar syrup into tahini mixture, then quickly stir in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate just to combine (you want to see streaks of chocolate). Form halva as directed. Sprinkle 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate over, pressing gently to adhere. Cover and chill as directed.
• For Lemon-Poppy Seed Halva:
• Prepare halva, adding 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds to the tahini, salt, and vanilla mixture.
• Add 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest to water in saucepan before making the sugar syrup, then prepare syrup as directed.
• Form halva as directed. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds over, pressing very gently just to adhere. Cover and chill as directed.
• For Chocolate-Za'atar Halvah:
• Prepare halva, adding 1/2 tsp. za'atar to the tahini, salt, and vanilla mixture.
• Stir sugar syrup into tahini mixture as directed, then quickly stir in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate just to combine (you want to see streaks of chocolate). Form halva as directed. Sprinkle 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate over, pressing gently to adhere. Cover and chill as directed.

Steps:

• Separate eggs and whisk whites until stiff.
• Add in sugar, a spoonfull at a time and whisk.
• Pour yolks and vanilla essence into mixture and carefully mix through.
• Beat up cream in separate bowl.
• Fold cream into egg mixture.
• Chop up halva - crumble it - and then fold into egg/cream mixture.
• Pour into loaf pan lined with wax paper (or use silicon container)and freeze.
• Before serving, turn out onto serving plate and drizzle with melted chocolate (optional).