A sweet treat to celebrate a special day or any day!
Bessie Kay, the PURE LIFE-FORCE behind @abundancethemovement shares her recipe for Halva! It is a recipe loaded with memories and love. Bessie celebrates her birthday in August, during an Orthodox fasting period. When she was growing up in country Victoria and her family lived and worked at a service station, Bessie’s mum would make a fasting version of this recipe (she used olive oil rather than butter) as her birthday cake. The aromas, textures and flavours take her back to this special place!
Make this now as a yummy birthday cake or as delicious sweet indulgence!
Bessie’s Semolina Halva
For the custard you will need…
- 135 g unsalted butter
- 170 g fine semolina
- 4 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 35 g pine nuts
- 35 g slivered almonds
- 200 g raw sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups boiled water
- 15 g flaked almonds
- ground cinnamon
Preparing the semolina halva
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Add the butter and semolina to a medium pot
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On medium-high heat melt the butter and mix the melted butter into the semolina
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Add the cloves and cinnamon sticks
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Heat and stir for 2 minutes to allow the aromas to bloom
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Add the pine nuts and slivered almonds
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Heat and stir for 4 minutes, until the nuts toast a little
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Add the sugar and vanilla extract
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Heat and stir for 2 minutes, until the sugar begins to caramelise
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Add the water and mix well
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Heat and stir till the mixture thickens and comes away from the pot
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Add the flaked almonds to a medium mould and dust with cinnamon
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Spoon the halva into the mould evenly and gently pat and smooth the "top" of the halva
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Turn it over onto a large plate or platter
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Slice and enjoy!
Kali Orexi!