Halva 5 Ways Recipes

Steps:

• Put the ghee in a medium nonstick frying pan and set over medium-low heat. When hot, add the almonds and pistachios, and stir just until the almonds turn golden. Using a slotted spoon, quickly transfer the nuts to a plate.
• Put the sooji into the ghee remaining in the pan and fry over low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring now and then, until it is golden. Add the sugar and mix well. Add 1½ cups water, the ground cardamom, and the reserved nuts, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir and cook over very low heat for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat and stir for another minute. Serve hot.
• If you prefer, you could put the halva into a 7x7-inch cake pan or similarly shaped dish. Press down lightly and flatten the surface, then cut into 1½-inch squares. When it has cooled to room temperature, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cake to stop a skin forming. Serve immediately or later, as you would any cake.

Steps:

• Line an 8- x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Combine sugar, vanilla seeds and lemon zest with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Allow mixture to simmer into a syrup, without stirring, until temperature registers 245 degrees on candy thermometer.
• While syrup is cooking, place tahini and salt in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle. Beat on medium speed. Carefully stream syrup into tahini with mixer running. Mix until syrup is incorporated and mixture begins to pull away from sides of bowl, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful not to overmix. The halvah texture should be fudgelike, not sandy.
• Working quickly with a heatproof spatula, transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Place another piece of parchment on top and use your hands on top of the parchment to smooth out halvah. Cool completely to room temperature and cut into squares. Store at room temperature, well wrapped in plastic, for a week.