Halvah Recipes

Steps:

• Line an 8- x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Combine sugar, vanilla seeds and lemon zest with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Allow mixture to simmer into a syrup, without stirring, until temperature registers 245 degrees on candy thermometer.
• While syrup is cooking, place tahini and salt in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle. Beat on medium speed. Carefully stream syrup into tahini with mixer running. Mix until syrup is incorporated and mixture begins to pull away from sides of bowl, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful not to overmix. The halvah texture should be fudgelike, not sandy.
• Working quickly with a heatproof spatula, transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Place another piece of parchment on top and use your hands on top of the parchment to smooth out halvah. Cool completely to room temperature and cut into squares. Store at room temperature, well wrapped in plastic, for a week.

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:

• Prepare a square 8x8" or 9x9" baking pan by lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Spray with canola oil.
• Mix the Tahini thoroughly before measuring. It separates easily and the thicker part at the bottom needs to be mixed in before pouring to measure.
• Bring 1 c of water to a boil.
• At the same time, start the Tahini on low in a sauce pan. Stir in the vanilla. Continue to heat, while occasionally stirring, until it reaches about 50°C (120°F). Do not heat it up too quickly or go over temp, because it will scorch. Remove from heat when it reaches temperature.
• Once the water is boiling, pour it over the sugar in a larger pan and stir until dissolved.
• Over high heat, bring the sugar water to a boil until it reaches 121°C (not over 250°F). Use a candy thermometer.
• As you're waiting for the sugar water to get to temp, the tahini should reach the proper temperature.
• Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer with the mixing paddle attached.
• When the sugar water reaches the proper temp, immediately turn the heat off, and start the stand mixer on low while pouring in the sugar water until combined. Be careful it is scorching hot!
• Bump the speed up to 3 and watch carefully as it mixes. It won't take longer than about 30 seconds to get to the proper consistency. When you see the mixture starting to pull away from the side of the bowl, stop mixing immediately, and pour the mixture into your prepared pan.
• It will begin to stiffen as you are pouring it into the pan, so be quick about scraping the remains out of the bowl. With a flat scraper or back of a wide wooden spoon, press the mixture into a level layer.
• Let cool for about a half an hour at room temp, then remove solidified piece from pan and cut into 36 pieces (6 rows and 6 columns).
• Wrap the Halva up in an airtight container or plastic wrap, and keep in fridge. It will last for months as long as it's sealed, but I'm sure it will be long gone by then. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Adult with Child: In a frying pan, brown the flour over low heat, watching constantly, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Child: To the flour, add the sugar, cinnamon, and oil. With the pan off the heat, stir for about 5 minutes, keeping the mixture a light brown color.
• Adult: Add the water and reheat, stirring for about 5 minutes, until the halvah thickens. Then cover and simmer slowly for 5 minutes more. Fold in the walnuts.
• Child: Let cool, then cut into squares.

Steps:

• Melt the butter over a medium flame.
• Once the butter begins to bubble, pour in the farina and toast to a light golden brown.
• Add the sugar and mix thouroughly. Dont take too long, the more toasted the farina is, the more crumbly it will be.
• Add the water and let it boil out. (Keep an eye on it because it will burn quickly if the water runs out).
• Let it cool and enjoy!