Homemade almond halva

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 Today I'd like to share a recipe for a special no bake dessert - almond halva.


It's very different from sesame-based halva that is widely available in Poland. It combines the sweetness of honey, characteristic flavour of almonds and light citrus notes. The texture is quite soft, while almond flakes are pleasantly crunchy.

I found the recipe in a book 'Stambuł do zjedzenia' written by a Polish culinary culinary blogger and journalist, Bartek Kieżun.

You'll find the list of ingredients, method and approximate nutritional value below.

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List of ingredients

  • 250 ml water
  • 3/4 cup (~250 g) honey
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 50 g olive oil
  • 400 g  blanched almonds + 50 g almond flakes
  • 1/2 cup (~90 g) semolina

Method

  1. Put 400 g almonds into a kitchen robot and blend them until they resemble breadcrumbs.
  2. Transfer blended almonds into a large bowl, add 6 tbsp semolina and mix thoroughly.
  3. Pour 250 ml water, 250 g honey and juice of half a lemon into a medium pot. Heat them up over medium heat, stirring. Bring the syrup to a slow boil and cook for 3 minutes. Turn heat off then and set it aside to cool slightly.
  4. Heat up 50 g olive oil and 40 g butter in a large pan. Once they melt together, add blended almonds and roast the over medium low heat for a few minutes until beautiful and golden. It is important to keep stirring the contents of the pan; otherwise almonds may scorch and develop unpleasant, bitter flavour.
  5. Once you get the desired colour, pour slightly cooled syrup into the pan. Be careful as syrup may splash when it touches a hot pan. Stir the contents of the pan and cook them until almonds and semolina absorb all moisture and form a compact dough. Take the pan off heat and transfer the dough into a separate container. Set it aside for a few minutes to cool.
  6. Add your favourite extras to the dough - almond flakes, nuts, dates or chocolate chunks. Spread them gently in the dough with your hand. 
  7. Form halva into small balls, about a size of a walnut, pressing them gently with your hands. Alternatively, transfer the dough into a large, rectangular dish lined with plastic foil and press it down to form a large block that you'll be able to cut into small squares. Put halva into a fridge for one hour to set completely.
  8. Enjoy! 
Approximate nutritional value

100 g

  • 472 kcal
  • Carbs: 38 g 
  • Fat: 32 g
  • Protein: 12 g
  • Fibre: 5 g

1 piece (recipe makes 25 pieces)

  • 183 kcal
  • Carbs: 15 g 
  • Fat: 13 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Fibre: 2 g

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