Halvas Fourno Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar in the water and milk and bring it to a bare simmer.
• Boil for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• At the same time, brown the semolina in the oil on medium-high heat, stirring continuously.
• This should take 4-5 minutes. Add the nutmeats for the last 2-3 minutes to toast them slightly.
• When the semolina has taken a golden brown colour, add the syrup to it (taking care not to burn your hands, as this bubbles and steams up excessively- be prepared!), turn down the heat and keep stirring until you get a kind of thick porridge. Continue cooking until the mixture is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan as you stir.
• Spoon into a buttered or oiled bundt pan and pack down with the back of a spoon. Let it cool. (I use a silicone bundt pan for this - eliminates the need to grease, and my halvah comes out in a pretty pattern).
• Unmold onto a platter and sprinkle with more walnuts, toasted sesame (optional) and cinnamon.
• You should not put this dessert in the refrigerator.
• It can keep for a few days outside the refrigerator, assuming you can gather enough will power not to eat it all at once.
• Some oil may start to drain off after a day or so, but this is to be expected, just dab it away with some kitchen paper.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 12 x 8 cake tin.
• In a saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over high heat. Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
• While the syrup is cooking, cream the butter, sugar and lemon rind with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together the semolina and flour and then fold into the butter mixture alternately with the milk. Mix in the chopped almonds.
• Spread the mixture in the cake tin and arrange rows of flaked almonds on top.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is golden and shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin.
• Prick the surface with a fine skewer and then pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake.
• When the cake is cool, cut into squares or diamonds.