Halvah—the Arabic word for “sweet”—is a general term used around the world for a sweet treat that can take many forms. The most famous version of this tasty confection is the Middle Eastern sesame sweet.
Ingredients of Israeli Halva
- 2 cups honey
- 1 1/2 cups tahini
- 2 cups toasted sliced almonds or other nuts
How to Make Israeli Halva
- 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 check 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.
- Add the warmed tahini to the honey and mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Add the nuts, if using. Continue to mix until the mixture starts to stiffen, for a good 10 minutes.
- Put mixture 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.
- Invert to remove from pan and cut into pieces with a sharp knife.
- Will keep for months in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in plastic.
