Halawa (also called halvah) is my absolute favorite Middle Eastern treat. I usually make it around Easter-time. The sweet honey and sesame tahini match my celebration of the Savior’s resurrection and the coming of Spring.
Halawa is more sweet a dessert than I usually serve, which is why I don’t make it too often. A little goes a long way. You might have seen bars of Halvah candy sold in stores or Middle Eastern markets. They taste delicious but sure stick in the teeth! They are usually the crumbly, nut-butter based kind. The other way to make halawa is flour-based.
My recipe is the flour-based variety, which I adapted for whole-grain sprouted flour. You’d never know it, though. I have tried some non-flour recipes but haven’t got them right yet. This one works every time. 
Halawa — Halvah (Middle Eastern Honey-Sesame Candy)
I highly recommend using roasted sesame tahini. Roasting is another means of reducing phytic acid in seeds, and it adds another dimension of flavor to this dessert.
- 1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
- 2 to 2-1/4 cups sprouted flour, spelt or soft wheat are lightest — learn to make your own here
- 1 cup roasted sesame tahini
- 3/4 cup raw honey
Warm the oil in a large heavy skillet over low heat. Add the flour and stir until the oil and flour are thoroughly combined. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to turn pale brown. Add the tahini and stir until the mixture has a uniform color and consistency. Turn off the heat.
In a separate small saucepan, bring the honey to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Immediately add the hot honey to the flour mixture. Stir until the honey is completely incorporated.
Spread the mixture into an ungreased loaf pan and pack the mixture down with the back of a spatula. Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours or until the pan feels cool. It will shrink back slightly from the edges of the pan as it cools, and should therefore unmold easily when the pan is inverted. Cover tightly (in or out of the loaf pan) and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To serve, cut into thin slices.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Happy Resurrection Day — He Lives!
Do you have any special treats you serve in the Spring or at Easter? I’d love to hear your traditions.
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He does indeed LIVE! Praise the Lord! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It looks absolutely scrumptious! Hope you and your family have a very blessed Easter!
Twitter: marebeard
says:
I’m always excited about Easter because of God’s awesome gift to us… His Son and how He reigns forever in our hearts! This recipe looks amazing! We love middle eastern food… even found a decent Arabic restaurant in the capital city of Honduras! LOL! I will be keeping my eye out for the nut-based version… don’t have sprouted flour and don’t really want to try learning how to make my own ;o) Love ya!!
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How a gorgeous sweet treat!! Happy Easter!
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This looks fantastic!! Thanks for sharing. I was never sure what those Halvah bars were. Now I know they are candy.
And Happy Resurrection Day to you too! I love thinking of today that way!
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Wardeh,
I make my Halvah completely raw. One of my fav. is to make it with black sesame seeds and raw cacao powder. Yum-O!
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Raye Ann — I’d love to hear more about your raw recipe!
3/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1/4 cup golden flax or flax and hemp seed
1 to 2 Tablespoons raw honey (depends on how sweet you want it.)
Raw Sesame, Olive or coconut oil as needed.
Pinch of real salt.
2 Tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder
Mill sesame and flax seeds in a coffee grinder until it starts to bind down. Put the sesame/flax mill in a food processor. Add the honey and salt and blend. If it is too dry to hold its shape add oil one teaspoon at a time until it holds its shape. Be careful not to over blend or you will have very sweet tahini. Roll into small bite size balls or into a log and slice. I many times double this and press into a small 7 x 5 glass casserole. Set in the freezer for about an hour.
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Thank you so much.
Oh that looks so good! I’m wishing I had some tahini now….
These look fabulous! I wonder if they would turn out fine with arrowroot powder? I am out of sprouted flour right now.
Need to get on it and make some more.
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Sarah — I don’t know. It is worth a try — maybe make a fourth of a batch? (And let me know, please!)
I haven’t had halvah since we lived in Saudi Arabia . . . can’t wait to try it! Barbara
Wardeh – what brand of roasted tahini do you buy? I have looked at my normal stores & all tahnini is just labeled as tahini.
Also, is the toasted sesame oil the same as what you’d find in Asian markets?
thanks,
Jessie
Jessie — I get my toasted/roasted tahini through a natural food warehouse/co-op. I have seen it here and there – maybe the Maranatha, Artisana, or Natural Value brand?
I’m not sure whether the toasted sesame oil is the same as at an Asian market — I’m sorry! I’ve never been to an Asian market. However, if it says toasted, that’s the one you want. Many sesame oils are just plain. If it doesn’t say, it isn’t toasted. My cold-pressed, organic, toasted sesame oil comes either from Azure Standard or Wilderness Family Naturals.
I hope this is somewhat helpful.
Twitter: mnu
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This looks great!! I’ll have to try some with coconut or almond or arrowroot flours instead.
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Twitter: Mexwildflower
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I was just thinking how I need to make this sometime! Yum!!!
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