Halva (A Greek Sweet Using Semolina)

evelyn/athens's Note:

This is a type of pudding, very popular here in Greece. Economical to make and tasty.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 15

• 1 cup best quality olive oil (or you can use a combo of 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup corn oil or butter, anything totalling 1 cup)
• 2 cups fine ground semolina
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups milk

Garnish

• coarsely ground walnuts or pine nuts, toasted
• sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
• cinnamon

Directions:

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water and milk and bring it to a bare simmer.
2. Boil for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
3. At the same time, brown the semolina in the oil on medium-high heat, stirring continuously.
4. This should take 4-5 minutes. Add the nutmeats for the last 2-3 minutes to toast them slightly.
5. 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.
6. 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).
7. Unmold onto a platter and sprinkle with more walnuts, toasted sesame (optional) and cinnamon.
8. You should not put this dessert in the refrigerator.
9. It can keep for a few days outside the refrigerator, assuming you can gather enough will power not to eat it all at once.
10. 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.

Reviews

[Archontia]

This is a good recipe for halvas. I just made some tonight. I used to make halva back when I was in Athens, Greece, and the recipe my mother taught me was very similar to the one I saw here by Evelyn (instead of olive oil we used butter).

[punkroqsk8rchic]

I made this for Christmas Eve at my house. It came out beautiful.

[Missy Wombat]

This halva recipe is excellent. Not sickly sweet [which is probably due to the milk] and very easy to make. Definitely hit the spot well and no complaints from the kids either.