I’ve enjoyed halva since I was a child, and the main brands I buy are Cypressa and Sunita, both of which come in an open-ended carton that slides off to reveal a thin foil lid that produces a distinctive, tinny, “crinkle crup crick” noise when prised open. I find it hard not to devour an entire block in one go – though, in my defence, the packs are usually small – just 75g or so – but it’s still a lot of sugar to consume in a day. I always start with the best intentions, snapping off a small corner, then another, slowly nibbling my way through until I realise, with some guilt and a definite sugar rush, that I’ve finished off the whole block. I prefer halva made with honey, because it somehow feels more nutritious whether it is or not, but anyway, honey adds flavour.
Halva made with crystallised honey
It occurred to me recently that a crystallised honey could be put to good use by making a small block of halva, so I gave it a go. After all these years of buying halva, it was great fun to make it myself for the first time, and my homemade version had a fudge-like texture. It was also incredibly moreish, though it did miss that familiar snap, and the dry, crumbly texture I love. Still, it was a lovely sweet treat to enjoy with a coffee or tea.
This recipe comes with a warning for anyone with a sweet tooth: make only a small amount to prevent overconsumption.
Neutral oil, for greasing
Honey – I used 150g crystallised honey, but any quantity will do
Whole or white tahini – an equal quantity to the honey
Nuts or sesame seeds (optional)
Other flavours to add to taste: rose oil or petals, shelled pistachios, coffee, cinnamon, cocoa, dried fruit
Grease a container that’s big enough to hold all the honey and tahini in once mixed. Cover the bottom with an optional chosen topping – I used mixed nuts, which I roasted, because I had some in the cupboard, but rose petals, pistachios or chopped dried fruit will also work well. Weigh out the honey into a small pan, then measure an equal amount of tahini into a second small pan, then set both pans over a gentle heat. When the tahini is warmed through, take it off the heat, but keep heating the honey until it reaches 115C (or when it forms a soft ball when a small spoonful is dropped into a tall glass of cold water). Carefully mix the hot honey into the tahini, beating with a wooden spoon until the mix comes away from the sides, then pour into the container, cover, leave to set and enjoy!
This article was edited on 30 September 2023, to correct the recipe title. An earlier version called it “Halva made with crystallised sugar”, rather than “honey”.
