Indulge in crumbly raisin and almond halva
Afternoon sugar cravings can be risky business. They fling some of us straight to the nearest vending machine and others ferreting around in the freezer, but those who have equipped their lunchboxes with homemade goodness can enjoy an indulgence without the added preservatives. Halva is a sweet snack favoured in parts of the Middle East and across Africa and Asia, and sculpted from either tahini or semolina. The dessert’s sweet embellishments are open to personal taste, with ingredients like rosewater, orange oil, pistachios and coffee all weaselling their way in to the different variations. We’ve opted for almonds and raisins, with a sprinkling of cocoa on a tahini and honey base.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups local honey or maple syrup
1 1/2 cups tahini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins
1 cup blanched almonds
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
extra honey, raisins and almonds, to serve
TO MAKE
Pour the honey into a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir continuously until it reaches the ‘soft-ball’ stage, which means you can drop a small amount of the honey syrup into cold water and it will form a soft ball.
Remove the honey from the heat, pour into a large bowl and allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, lightly beat the tahini until smooth. Fold into the honey along with the vanilla.
Throw the raisins and almonds into a food processor if you’d like a smooth halva, or roughly chop them if you’d like some crunch. Stir them into the mixture.
Sift in the cocoa powder and stir very gently to create a marbling effect.
Grease a loaf tin and pour the halva mixture inside. Set aside and let cool completely.
Seal well with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow the halva to develop its crumbly texture.
When it is set, chop into chunks and drizzle with honey, dried fruit and nuts to serve.
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