While its ancient origins are disputed–some say India, others Turkey, others say it was definitely Byzantine — there is no doubt that halvah is one of the most common desserts in the world. The flaky, dense, tahini-based candy known to American and Israeli Jews is only one of hundreds of different types of halvah eaten across the globe.
READ: The Sweet Story of Israeli Desserts
Halvah (also known as halwa, halva, halava, helva, etc.) is a broad term used to describe desserts made with a base of flour or nut butter, such as sesame tahini, and sometimes including vegetables (such as carrots) or nuts. It is eaten in India, Central and West Asia, North Africa, the Balkans, and of course, in Israel and in Jewish delis throughout the United States. Each culture has its own halvah, united only by name — which derives from the Arabic word for “sweet” — and the fact that each is a sweetened candy or dessert, often an ancient and beloved recipe.
A trip to Israel is not complete without sampling the country’s halvah. Taking a stroll in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda market you can’t miss the halvah merchants, their tables piled high with huge slabs of the treat in a multitude of flavors, filled with different nuts and seeds, colored and flavored with various extracts. And because the dessert is pareve — neither meat nor dairy — it has always been the perfect kosher deli dessert. Many American Jews grew up on Joyva Halvah; Joyva brought the ancient treat to the United States in 1907, and more than a century later, production continues.
READ: Tahini Is the New Trendiest Israeli Food
In addition to the Israeli Tahini Halvah recipe below, you may want to tryIndian Carrot-Cardamom Halvah, and Greek Semolina Halvah. Or Halvah Swirl Brownies.The only special tool needed is a candy or instant-read thermometer, for the Israeli halvah. Otherwise, these recipes are very simple to make — any recipe that has survived 3,000 years should be! Each of these recipes can handle many variations. You can substitute different nuts or dried fruit, or add extracts, such as coffee, coconut, and vanilla. They will also keep very well, so they are great for making ahead and keeping on hand for last-minute guests.
It is challenging to achieve the flakiness so famous in Israeli halvah without good experience in candy making. However, even if it comes out smoother and chewier than you are used to, and more like caramel or fudge, this halvah will be incredibly delicious and satisfying.
Ingredients
2 cups honey
1 1/2 cups tahini, well stirred to combine
Up to 2 cups toasted sliced almonds or other nuts (optional)
Directions
Heat honey on medium heat until your candy or instant-read thermometer reads 240˚ F, or indicates the “soft ball” stage of candy making. To confirm that you are at the “soft ball” stage, drop a bit of the honey into a cup of cold water. It should form a sticky and soft ball that flattens when removed from the water.
Have the tahini ready to heat in a separate small pot, and once the honey is at the appropriate temperature, set the honey aside and heat tahini to 120˚ F.
Add the warmed tahini to the honey and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. At first it will look separated but after a few minutes, the mixture will come together smoothly.
Add the nuts, if using. Continue to mix until the mixture starts to stiffen, for a good 6-8 minutes. Pour mixture into a well-greased loaf pan, or into a greased cake pan with a removable bottom.
Let cool to room temperature and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Leave in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours. This will allow the sugar crystals to form, which will give the halvah its distinctive texture.
Invert to remove from pan and cut into pieces with a sharp knife.
Will keep for months in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic–if you don’t eat it all first!
Pronounced: KOH-sher, Origin: Hebrew, adhering to kashrut, the traditional Jewish dietary laws.
Pronounced: PAHRV or pah-REV, Origin: Hebrew, an adjective to describe a food or dish that is neither meat nor dairy. (Kosher laws prohibit serving meat and dairy together.)
Pronounced: yuh-HOO-dah or yuh-hoo-DAH (oo as in boot), Origin: Hebrew, Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers in the Torah.
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FAQs
The sweet's spellings are as numerous as its origins: Egyptians call it “halawa,” while Indians drop the final "h" and name it “halva.” Regardless of what you call it, what is certain is that the word derives from the Arabic word, “halwa,” which means “sweet confection.” This versatile, rich ingredient has spread ...
Why do Jews eat halvah? ›
Halvah is especially popular in Israel because it is pareve, meaning no meat or dairy, so it is a good dessert for those who eat kosher. The brand Joyva sells halvah in many United States supermarkets including Giant. Halvah can be made in several flavors with different toppings.
What is Israeli halva made of? ›
Israeli halva is made with tahini, ground sesame paste and mixed with sugar syrup, heated to 149 - 154 C /300 - 310 F, also known as the hard crack stage. Once mixed, flavours such as chocolate, vanilla and pistachio nuts are added.
What is the Jewish word halva? ›
halvah in American English
(hɑːlˈvɑː, ˈhɑːlvɑː) noun. a sweet, candylike confection of Turkish origin, consisting chiefly of ground sesame seeds and honey. Also: halavah, halva. [1840–50; ‹ Yiddish halva ‹ Romanian ‹ Turk helva ‹ Ar ḥalwā sweet confection]
Which is the best halva in Israel? ›
Achva's Halva is the most popular in Israel.
Why is halva so expensive? ›
The price of the Halva is efected directly by the ingredients we use to make it. We use the best Tahini (cost 5 times more then an avarage one), we use real Belgian chocolates, we use the best green pistachio in the market, and we do so also with all of the other ingredients.
Is halvah constipating? ›
Sesame seeds (Tahini and Halawa) help in relieving constipation and remove worms from the intestinal tract. They are an aid to digestion and stimulate blood circulation.
Which country invented halva? ›
Halva originated in Persia (modern day Iran). A reference to halvah appeared in the 7th century, referring to a mixture of mashed dates with milk. By the 9th century, the term was applied to numerous kinds of sweets, including the now-familiar sweetened cooked semolina or flour paste.
Is halvah high in sugar? ›
It's plentiful in minerals and organic oils, which are necessary for your body. Anyway, keep in mind that halva should be used moderately due to its high sugar content.
Should halva be refrigerated? ›
Halva does not require refrigeration for food safety reasons. In fact, it has been sold for centuries in the hot desert sun in the Middle East! However, we do recommend keeping it cool in the fridge or a temperature controlled pantry to try to delay the natural separation of oil.
While halva isn't a particularly good source of vitamins, it does provide significant amounts of a number of minerals. Each 1-ounce serving has 17 percent of the DV for copper and phosphorus, 15 percent of the DV for magnesium and 12 percent of the DV for manganese.
What is the emulsifier in halva? ›
Halva is a popular sweet food prepared from a sesame paste and a sugar mixture. The objective of this work was to improve the oil retention in this product by incorporating commercial fibers and emulsifiers: soya lecithin and monoglycerides (MG1 or MG2) during manufacturing.
Is halvah kosher? ›
The halvah (all kosher) is mixed in large, bowl-shaped copper kettles by big, burly men, who alternately paddle, stir and knead a mixture of egg whites, sugar syrup and tahini (sesame paste).
What are the two types of halva? ›
Halva can come in two forms: one is flour-based, the other nut-based. The one I've been interested to try is the latter and made of sesame seeds. It's basically sesame paste that's mixed with hot sugar syrup to form a candy or confection.
How are you supposed to eat halva? ›
Typically, halva is served at room temperature, but can also be served warm or cold. Halva can be accompanied by coffee, tea or wine. It can be snacked on by itself, as part of a spread of desserts, or with bread. Sometimes halva is served topped with whipped cream or in a thinner, spoonable, consistency.
Do Jews eat halva? ›
Halvah is really the epitome of Jewish cuisine.
What is Russian halva made of? ›
The name is used for a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made from flour, butter, liquid oil, saffron, rosewater, milk, cocoa powder, and sweetened with sugar. Halva has a number of geographical sources: from Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine.
