Whether you’re looking for a
gluten-free dessert or a less-sweet alternative to decadent fudge, halva is the answer. A Middle Eastern treat made from tahini, halva has a similar texture to fudge, but isn’t as sweet or rich. Our top tip for making it? Be careful to not overstir, or it may become too crumbly and won’t hold together very well—stir just long enough until the mixture thickens.
The best part? It’s completely versatile. Make our base recipe, or experiment with the variations we’ve included below (hello, chocolate and coffee!). Keep reading on to learn how to make it exactly as you want:
What is halva?
Halva is a Middle Eastern treat, similar to fudge, that can be made from a tahini or flour base, sweetened with sugar and vanilla (plus any desired mix-ins). Wondering what tahini is? It’s a paste made from ground sesame seeds, and occasionally salt. It has a texture similar to a nut butter with a nutty, slightly earthy flavor. Thanks to the tahini, halva is a slightly less-sweet version of fudge with a bit more texture: it’s a perfect base to add in any desired sweet mix-ins.
Looking for more ways to use up that jar of tahini? Checkout our best hummus recipe, or our tahini cookies.
Halva variations:
Many different flavors of halva exist and most anything can be stirred into the tahini mixture for different variations. We provided a base recipe, which is great as is, plus ways to change it up and make chocolate-swirled, coffee, or cardamom-pistachio halva. Good luck picking your favorite!
Halva storage:
Stored in an airtight container, halva will keep in a cool, dry place at room temperature for a few weeks. To keep it longer, you can also store it in the refrigerator for several months.
Which version did you make? Let us know in the comments below!