Halvah, a favorite confection

[Kerry Beal]

Lost track of that with all the reno confusion. I'm trying to recall the changes I made. I seem to recall that Andi uses lemons with less bite than the ones here, so I cut back the amount of juice. And I used a combination of rosewater and tap water. I think I may have cooked the syrup to a higher temperature.

[Darienne]

Lost track of that with all the reno confusion. I'm trying to recall the changes I made. I seem to recall that Andi uses lemons with less bite than the ones here, so I cut back the amount of juice. And I used a combination of rosewater and tap water. I think I may have cooked the syrup to a higher temperature.

Could be that Andie uses Meyer lemons.

No rose or orange water for sale in our region, but DH and I are off to Etobicoke on Monday and maybe we can find somewhere along the way. There's a Caribbean grocery store on Morningside near the 401 (Lee Valley). Might carry it. Do you know of anywhere near the 401 or the 407 where I can get some? Thanks.

Hope the 'reno confusion' is over. Hmmm...is it ever really over?

[judiu]

I'll get back to the halvah in a day or two when I decide what to do with the last failed experiment. Tastes good, but is crumbly. I was thinking about stirring it into melted dark chocolate and using it as a ganache. Maybe. Or just tossing it. The DH likes it, so I guess I won't.

Thanks again.

Oh, boy, does that sound like something good to put on top of a single crust fruit pie! Apple tart, or maybe a pear and apple combo. YUM! HTH!

[Kerry Beal]

Lost track of that with all the reno confusion. I'm trying to recall the changes I made. I seem to recall that Andi uses lemons with less bite than the ones here, so I cut back the amount of juice. And I used a combination of rosewater and tap water. I think I may have cooked the syrup to a higher temperature.

Could be that Andie uses Meyer lemons.

No rose or orange water for sale in our region, but DH and I are off to Etobicoke on Monday and maybe we can find somewhere along the way. There's a Caribbean grocery store on Morningside near the 401 (Lee Valley). Might carry it. Do you know of anywhere near the 401 or the 407 where I can get some? Thanks.

Hope the 'reno confusion' is over. Hmmm...is it ever really over?

I've seen it in the international section of most Metro stores.

[Darienne]

Thanks. Metro Stores...never heard of them before...are a bit too much out of our way for this trip.

A friend tells me this afternoon that she has both rose and orange water and we're going to make your recipe tomorrow.

We'll get additional supplies some other time. Thanks.

[Anna N]

Thanks. Metro Stores...never heard of them before...are a bit too much out of our way for this trip.

A friend tells me this afternoon that she has both rose and orange water and we're going to make your recipe tomorrow.

We'll get additional supplies some other time. Thanks.

Metro is just the new name for AP/Dominion stores which have been around forever and are often in small towns as well as big cities.

[CaliPoutine]

Hi Lior,

I just got back from Florida ( where I didnt have any halvah, but did have plenty other Jewish food). I sent you a PM.

Thanks!!!

[Darienne]

Next is Kerry Beal's recipe for halvah. Halvah #3, 1 November 09.

In the meantime, took Halvah Failure #2, pulverized it real good, added 8 oz of melted dark chocolate, mixed well, and poured it into little tart pans. It has no name, but it tastes wonderful and we started eating it after supper.

[Darienne]

Learned something new. Cannot upload a photo in edit mode.

These are the delicious chocolate/halvah patties

[stuartlikesstrudel]

Mmmm that would be great

Too bad that the halvah didn't turn out right but seems like a very good result!

I'm still following this thread carefully... bought a new tub of tahini on the weekend to prepare for my own attempts soon.

[prasantrin]

For failed halvah attempts, there's a place in Winnipeg that makes halvah gelato. It's amazing! Try mixing it into ice cream, or using it as an ice cream topping.

[Darienne]

Gelato. Good idea. I still have a fair amount of the stuff left.

We are eating the chocolate/failed halvah patties. Quite delicious. Maybe I've stumbled upon something new and wonderful and now need to find a name for it. Isn't that the way fudge and so many other things began...as failed something elses?

Did not make Andie's 3rd halvah recipe today. Friend with the rose water is still under the weather.

[Darienne]

I am overwhelmed. Speechless (well, perhaps not. I am never speechless). Completely blown away. Humbled. Grateful. Hardly know the words to use.

I thought DH was going to the PO outlet to pick up a book I had ordered, but he came back with this large package...from Israel...from Ilana (aka Lior).

Ripped off the tape, cut open the box and gaped at the contents : a container of halva, a box of chocolate-covered halvah candies (sorry I haven't opened one yet and my Hebrew is just about non-existent so I am not really sure...will get back), some Bedouin Chai, soup almonds, a candy bar, some peanut snacks, a container of tehina with spices with a note to go to Ilana's website to find out what to do with it.

What on earth can I say in response to such generosity? Ed joins me in thanking Ilana for this bounty. I recall her generous gift to the Chocolate Conference in April. She has done it again. Ed and I are gourd artisans and one special gourd is going to be on its way to Ashqelon Israel very soon. Well, as soon as I PM Lior. Her name and address on the package are practically illegible after its journey.

We begin munching right after lunch which DH is making. Poached salmon in lime juice plus I don't know what else. Just perfect for halvah!

Edited November 3, 2009 by Darienne (log)

[Kerry Beal]

I am overwhelmed. Speechless (well, perhaps not. I am never speechless). Completely blown away. Humbled. Grateful. Hardly know the words to use.

I thought DH was going to the PO outlet to pick up a book I had ordered, but he came back with this large package...from Israel...from Ilana (aka Lior).

Ripped off the tape, cut open the box and gaped at the contents : a container of halva, a box of chocolate-covered halvah candies (sorry I haven't opened one yet and my Hebrew is just about non-existent so I am not really sure...will get back), some Bedouin Chai, soup almonds, a candy bar, some peanut snacks, a container of tehina with spices with a note to go to Ilana's website to find out what to do with it.

What on earth can I say in response to such generosity? Ed joins me in thanking Ilana for this bounty. I recall her generous gift to the Chocolate Conference in April. She has done it again. Ed and I are gourd artisans and one special gourd is going to be on its way to Ashqelon Israel very soon. Well, as soon as I PM Lior. Her name and address on the package are practically illegible after its journey.

We begin munching right after lunch which DH is making. Poached salmon in lime juice plus I don't know what else. Just perfect for halvah!

The tehina with spices will make a nice sauce to go with felafal. In blender, put lemon juice, garlic and water, drizzle tehini through the top until it makes a mayonnaise like sauce. Yum!

[Lior]

A great pleasure it is to give a gift. Even a material one, but the best is the gift of happily and generously sharing knowledge, help and advice. This forum is a great gift to me and when I can I grab the opportunity to give what I am able to in whatever form.

[Darienne]

If you go to Lior's blog, message #85, near the bottom of the page, you can see photos of the peanut snacks, soup almonds, and spiced tahina paste.

I am typing this post with a cup of hot Bedouin Chai tea beside me. Wonderful at afternoon lag time. Also we tried the chocolate flavor halva with cocoa nibs after lunch and I don't know if I am going to push much further to make halvah. Seems a bit futile after two no-gos. No way I could make anything that delicious. Will have to hide it from the DH.

[Darienne]

I still haven't made the third halvah recipe...just finished the halvah from Ilana.

But last night I had this hankering...melted a whack of chocolate and mixed into it some tahini and powered sugar. Into a container to cool and harden. Could be a truffle center. Could also be gone because we ate it all. Possibilities...

[Lior]

In case anyone is still interested, I just found a video on making Halvah at home with a well known lady who has recipe books and a TV show. She always makes confections and the recipes are easy.

I apologize that it is not in English. The video is good for visual and Iwill write the recipe:

Halva- "less crumbly and more delicious than the industrial ones you can buy"

Put 1/2 kilo Tehina in the mixer using the flat blade like she does

In a small pot 1/2 cup sugar and add put 1 cup boiling water.

Roast some pistachios about one cup but check they have no shells left on them.

1 teaspoon of a good vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon of aless good one.

A small square pan lined with 2 sheets of Baking paper sprayed with canola oil

Bring sugar and boiling water to the boil on a high flame. You may stir but only until the sugar is melted-then no stirring. Boil to 121C and if you have no thermometer-about 7 minutes-she does the soft ball check in the video for those who have no thermometer. The syrup becomes thicker and loses some of its transparency as it gets close to 121C. The syrup should not get any color or else your halva is ruined. She mentions "to always keep children away when making hot syrup and to be concentrated and not distracted by them or anything else...Reserve 7 minutes for yourself to make halvah"

At 121, carefully carefully (her voice gets very squeeky here!) the thermometer beeps ("QUIET!!-SHEKET!!), turn off the flame take the pot to the mixer, turn it on and then work quicky very quickly, pour the syrup into the bowl, add vanilla and pistachios and count to five! Turn off and you have Halva. Pour it quickly into the bowl as it hardens fast. It should not be sticky. Cool on counter for about half an hour. Cut into squares or whatever. She makes cookies filled with halvah and then you can see her cut the halvah with a very sharp knife.

[Lior]

For some reason the link did not show up

Also the mixer is on medium speed. Store wrapped in nylon at room temp.

There is a short commercial first....

Halva

Edited July 3, 2010 by Lior (log)

[Darienne]

Thanks Ilana,

I'll try it this afternoon. But without pistachios. Have none. I could use pecans.

I couldn't watch the video very well. My computer speed seems just too slow for the download. I did catch the word 'halva', but that was about it for my Hebrew.

Thanks so much for this recipe. I'll report back.

Returned to the site and this time the video downloaded quite nicely. What was she drinking from the little electric appliance?

OK. Now we try it. Thanks again.

Edited July 3, 2010 by Darienne (log)

[Lior]

Espresso. Do you not drink it? Nice to be back on egullet!

[Darienne]

Welcome back. We have missed seeing your contributions, especially on the Halvah thread.

Well, it was not a great success in that it did not harden properly and it also wasn't sweet enough. Not the fault of the recipe, but rather mine.

I didn't have enough tahini to make the complete recipe which meant that my sugar and water portions were not really large enough for the stand mixer which is a 7-quart. I should have just done it with my hand mixer. I spilled some of the syrup down the inside of the huge bowl and it solidified immediately which meant it never went into the mixture.

Monday, I'll buy the ingredients again and this time I'll get it right.

DH and I agreed that it did have a good taste and was rather like the halvah from Israel. Thanks again for the recipe. I'll get back when I get it correct.!!!

[Lior]

I also made it. It is hot inside the house so it is not firm enough... I think I qwill put the air on to see. I like the taste though. I hade a weird issue with the sugar syrup. It took about 14 minutes to reach 121 C and was just beginning to turn color. What can you tell me about this as you are probably a sugar syrup pro. Perhaps if the sugar syrup goes a bit higher it would be firmer? Iwill take a phot for you. I thought to try this using other pastes like almond paste instead of sesame.

Hope it works better for you next time. I put the vanilla and pistachios into the mixer with the Tehina paste at the beginning so I did not have to worry about rushing... It was quick and fun.

[Kerry Beal]

I also made it. It is hot inside the house so it is not firm enough... I think I qwill put the air on to see. I like the taste though. I hade a weird issue with the sugar syrup. It took about 14 minutes to reach 121 C and was just beginning to turn color. What can you tell me about this as you are probably a sugar syrup pro. Perhaps if the sugar syrup goes a bit higher it would be firmer? Iwill take a phot for you. I thought to try this using other pastes like almond paste instead of sesame.

Hope it works better for you next time. I put the vanilla and pistachios into the mixer with the Tehina paste at the beginning so I did not have to worry about rushing... It was quick and fun.

Anytime I've made halvah this way I ended up with it softer than I wanted. I wasn't sure if a higher temperature would have helped. I think you are essentially making a fudge with the ingredients - which is essentially a fondant. I think beating longer might be the solution until it starts to thicken.

But if your syrup was starting to colour - to me that means it was reaching 150C - so I wonder if your thermometer is off a bit?

[Darienne]

I also made it. It is hot inside the house so it is not firm enough... I think I qwill put the air on to see. I like the taste though. I hade a weird issue with the sugar syrup. It took about 14 minutes to reach 121 C and was just beginning to turn color. What can you tell me about this as you are probably a sugar syrup pro. Perhaps if the sugar syrup goes a bit higher it would be firmer? Iwill take a phot for you. I thought to try this using other pastes like almond paste instead of sesame.

Hope it works better for you next time. I put the vanilla and pistachios into the mixer with the Tehina paste at the beginning so I did not have to worry about rushing... It was quick and fun.

Anytime I've made halvah this way I ended up with it softer than I wanted. I wasn't sure if a higher temperature would have helped. I think you are essentially making a fudge with the ingredients - which is essentially a fondant. I think beating longer might be the solution until it starts to thicken.

But if your syrup was starting to colour - to me that means it was reaching 150C - so I wonder if your thermometer is off a bit?

Kerry is no doubt correct about your thermometer. I did a careful check of all my thermometers...tossed a couple...a plague on all their houses...and found one that was bang on! So my syrup was removed at exactly 121C. (I am going to look at the Canadian Tire thermometers tomorrow. Might just bite the bullet and buy one not on sale. Actually, I read the CTC flyer faithfully and carefully every week and have never notice a IR thermometer for sale. I must have missed it.)

A good idea to put the nuts and vanilla in first. Actually, I was so discombobulated at the syrup solidifying on the side of my honking big bowl, that I forgot the vanilla.

I'll try it again after tomorrow, with a larger amount, with the bowl set up ahead of time, with the beaters lifted up so that I can more easily pour the syrup in, etc. And then I'll get back.