An easy vegan Greek dessert that takes just a few ingredients and 15 minutes to make! This tahini halva recipe is so rich and delicious that your family won’t be able to resist it.
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Tahini halva is a simple Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dessert made with as few as 5 ingredients. There are even versions of it in India and Pakistan. The main ingredient is tahini paste which is sesame seeds ground into a paste. So, tahini halva is a little healthy but will satisfy anyone looking for a sweet treat.
Do I need to Use a Candy Thermometer
Yes! A candy thermometer (also can be used as a thermometer for frying) is a very inexpensive kitchen tool necessary for making tahini halva. The syrup for this sweet treat needs to be brought to a boil, then brought up to 250º F exactly. It will be right between the soft ball and hard ball stage on the thermometer.
Without the candy thermometer, you won’t ever know when it will get to that exact temperature. A slight variance in temperature can be the difference between a successful tahini halva recipe and one that’s inedible.
What does Tahini Halva taste like?
- Sweet –every good dessert is, right?
- Nutty –from the sesame seeds
- Fudge-like –soft, rich and creamy
- Add your favorite mix-in to make it your own!
Ingredients for Tahini Halva recipe
Water and salt are usually free ingredients in recipes. So, there are 3 main ingredients for my version of this vegan dessert. Try to find the best quality of each since there are so few ingredients.
- Tahini paste –sesame seed paste… don’t forget to stir it well after using the oil to coat your measuring cups.
- Vanilla extract –this enhances the sweet, nutty flavor, so don’t forget it!
- Sugar –use your favorite kind
Things to add to this fudge-like candy
There are so many things you can add to make this dessert your own. Try swapping out the vanilla extract with coffee or chocolate. You could add in chocolate chips or your favorite roasted nut, like almonds or pistachios. If you want to take this tahini halva recipe to the next level, top it with ganache or drizzle it with some melted dark chocolate!
How to make Tahini Halva
- Line a loaf pan (8 and 1/2-inch by 4 and 1/2-inch) with parchment paper.
- Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture as soon as it comes to a boil. Remove the syrup from the heat once it reaches 250 °F. About 7-10 minutes of boiling.
- Add the tahini, salt, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl, along with any additional mix-ins, and stir together.
- Carefully add the syrup to the tahini mixture and fold together until just combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Set it aside to cool completely.
Tips for successful Tahini halva:
- Stream the syrup slowly into the side of the bowl and fold the mixture together.
- Do not overmix the halva. Otherwise, it will dry out and begin to crumble.
- Add the nuts or chocolate chips into the tahini paste before adding the syrup to prevent over mixing.
- Begin with room temperature tahini paste.
- Grease the measuring cups so that the tahini pours out of them easily. I like to use the oil that rises to the top of the tahini jar.
- Store the halva in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and it will keep fresh for up to 2 months.
Serving…
The traditional way to serve halva is in slices, but you can cut it into squares also. It is a great dessert to serve after any meal or as a treat with a hot cup of Greek coffee. Your family is going to love it!
Tahini Halva
A vegan dessert that requires 4-5 ingredients and 15 minutes to make. So easy and delicious and it keeps fresh for months. You can't beat that. Make some tahini halva for your family today 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups tahini paste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of water
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds, or your favorite nuts) or chocolate chips
Instructions
Line a loaf pan (8 and 1/2-inch by 4 and 1/2-inch) with parchment paper.
Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture as soon as it comes to a boil. Remove the syrup from the heat once it reaches 250 °F. About 7-10 minutes of boining.
Add the tahini, salt, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and mix together.
Carefully add the syrup to the tahini mixture along with nuts (if adding) and fold together until just combined. Be careful and don't overmix it otherwise it will begin to crumble.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Set it aside to cool completely.
Slice the halva and serve it with Greek coffee. Enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers will keep fresh in an airtight container refrigerated for 1-2 months.
Recommended Products
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Taylor Precision Products RA17724 5983Candy & Deep Fry Stainless Steel Paddle Thermometer, 12 inches, 1 EA, Multicolor
Dimitra, The trick to keeping parchment paper from moving is to spray some Pam in the pan and then the paper will not move. I use this also when I’m making cookies. It works very well and doesn’t effect the baking at all..
Your recipes look great. I did try to get the following to see if I want to buy your cookbook. I love Mediterranean food.
“SIGN UP & RECEIVE MY FREE EBOOK: 5 VEGETARIAN GREEK DINNER PARTY RECIPES”
Do you think you can email them to me?
I only have 1 cup of tahini what would my measurements be to still make halava?
H Dimitra!
I made this using Krinos Tahini and it did not “harden” and I can’t figure out why. Do you have any idea as to why? I have made several of your recipes but this has me stumped. Well thank you so much for your recipes and videos!
Thank you,
Voula Tsipras
Far, far better when using honey and not sugar and I did two cups of tahini and one of honey. So delicious and not so sickly sweet.
Do you remove all remaining oil from the jar of tahini if any left or do I mix it into the paste before measuring it out, also I’ve made it using honey before but the consistency didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to, what’s the measurements n temp if using the honey, thanks for all your tasty recipes