I have been looking for years for a recipe for Halva. This is not the
Indian type halva that I'm looking for which is a type of cake. I am
looking for a method the make the Macedonian style which is made into
blocks with a candy like texture. I know the two main ingredients are
Tahini and Honey but I have never been able to find the actual method.
There are no raisins or dates or carrots or cinnamon. It may be
similar to a fudge recipe but is more compact and not smooth like a
fudge. It comes in large blocks and is quite oily.
Does anyone know the commercial recipe and/or method for doing this?
Here is a link to what I am referring to http://www.halva.co.il/

Hello Hampshirehosting-ga,

Thank you for your question.


I located two halvah recipes with tahini and honey as the main
ingredients.


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From Recipe Goldmine in their section of Middle Eastern recipes:


HALVAH

1 1/2 cups honey
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup tahini paste

“Combine the honey and water in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.
Add the lemon juice and sesame seeds. Gently boil until it reaches the
soft ball stage (234 degrees F to 238 degrees F) on a candy
thermometer.

Brush a parchment-lined baking sheet with the melted butter. Quickly
whip the tahini paste into the sugar mixture using a wooden spoon to
form a smooth consistency. Pour into the prepared pan. Set aside to
cool.

Turn the candy out onto a cutting board, peel off the paper, and cut
into pieces with a sharp knife.”

Recipe Goldmine: Middle Eastern Recipes
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/worldmideast/mideast55.html


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Amanda posted this Halvah recipe at Google newsgroups:


HALVAH

15 oz (about 400 grams) can tahini
oil drained from tahini plus margarine to make 1 1/2 cups
4 cup flour
1 cup honey
1/2 cup ground almonds or sesame seeds
3 oz (about 100 grams) melted chocolate (optional)

“Combine oil and margarine in a 2-qt saucepan and heat until margarine
melts. Stir in flour and cook over a low flame, stirring often,
until light caramel- colored, add tahini and combine.  In a separate
pot, heat honey to the Soft Ball Stage, 235 degrees Fahrenheit
(about 112 Celsius) on a candy thermometer. (Soft Ball Stage is
defined as 234-240 degrees Fahrenheit--syrup dropped in cold water
forms a soft ball that flattens when taken out of water.) Combine
honey with flour mixture and add ground nuts. Mix well.

Pour into greased flat marble or Formica surface and press into 1"
(about 2 1/2 cm) thick rectangle with wet knife. If desired, cover
with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Cut into bars before halvah
is completely cool.”
Yields 2 1/2 - 3 lbs (kilo +)

Source: Google Newsgroups
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=es&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=396F3982.774C%40home.com


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Tahini is a smooth paste made from ground hulled sesame seeds with a
bit of salt.
http://www.apinchof.com/tahini1083.htm


In the following recipe you must grind the sesame seeds to make the
tahini.


HALVAH

1 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 tablespoon cocoa or carob powder (optional)

Grind sesame seeds into a nut butter. Scrape out into a bowl and
dribble in the honey. Mix well until you get a sticky mass. For
chocolate halvah, mix in cocoa well. Allow it to become marbled. For
more vanilla flavor, add vanilla extract with the honey.

Line a small (about 4 x 3 inches) box with wax paper and press in the
mixture. Put into the refrigerator to chill for about an hour. Remove
from refrigerator, and slice into cubes.

Recipe Goldmine: Middle Eastern Recipes
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/worldmideast/mideast54.html



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The following halvah recipe uses brown sugar instead of honey.


HALVA (SESAME SEED FUDGE) 

Middle Eastern confection

INGREDIENTS:

2 cup  Brown sugar 
2/3 cup  Sesame Tahini (Found in Arabic or Mediterranean markets) 
2/3 cup  Milk 
1 tsp. Vanilla 
  
Cook sugar and milk in a sauce pot over medium heat to just under the
soft-ball stage, to 230º degrees F.  Remove from fire and add tahini
and vanilla but do not mix in immediately.  Let it cool about 2
minutes.  Beat with paddle or spoon for a few seconds and pour quickly
into a buttered pan.

Gutsy Gourmet Recipe
http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/halva.html

Russian Foods Forum
http://www.russianfoods.com/forum/message002F2/default.asp


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Search Criteria:

Halva OR halvah recipe
Elite halvah OR halva recipe
Jewish halvah OR halva recipe
Israeli halvah OR halva recipe
Macedonian halva OR halvah recipe


I hope you enjoy making your halva. If anything is unclear please
request clarification and I'll be glad to offer further assistance
before you rate my answer.


Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by hampshirehosting-ga on 06 Jul 2003 15:34 PDT

Thanks Bobbie. It's going to be hard to rate the answer without trying
a couple of recipes I guess.
Has anyone who has tried commercially made halva tried any of these
recipes, and if so are they similar?

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Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 06 Jul 2003 15:58 PDT

Dear Hampshirehosting,

I really can’t say if anyone who has tried commercially made halva
tried any of these recipes, however, I lived in Israel and ate
commercially made halva and the first two recipes appear to be the
very similar.

I would suggest that you try the recipes and if you aren’t satisfied
with them, you let me know before rating my answer. I would then do
additional research until I locate the exact recipe you require.

Sincerely,
Bobbie7

Thank you for your research.

Oh my, now I am hungry for halva!

I've used the brown sugar recipe listed above. It is excellent, and so
easy!

The recipe first appeared in "The Complete Greek Cook Book" by Theresa
Karas Yianlios. I highly recommend it.

The best brand of tahini for this recipe, in my experience, is Sahadi.
It's available at many health food stores and ethnic groceries.