Persian Halva Recipe
Persian halva is a classic dessert made with pantry staples that you probably have on hand right now. Perfectly sweet with aromas of rose and saffron (you keep saffron on hand in your kitchen, right?), halva can be served cold or at room temperature.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 309kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ tsp ground saffron
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp rosewater
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Toppings
- desiccated coconut
- edible rosebuds
- ground pistachios
- slivered almonds
Instructions
- Sprinkle the ground saffron on 2 cubes of ice and let it melt at room temperature. This will be your bloomed saffron.
- Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium high heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the saffron and rosewater, then simmer for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off and set it aside.
- Place a large pan over medium heat and toast the flour for 20 to 25 minutes until it smells nutty and the color is light to medium brown.
- Add in the butter and oil to the toasted flour and cook for 15 more minutes. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Gradually add the syrup and mix well using a wooden spoon until the halva comes together. The mixture will be sticky. Set the spoon aside and start shaking the pan and tilting the halva from one side to the other until it separated from the pan and forms a roll.
- Transfer the halva to a plate and smoothen the top with the back of an oiled spoon. Top with ground pistachios, desiccated coconut, edible rose and slivered almonds.
Video
Notes
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Let the halva come to room temperature before serving.
- Saffron adds a lot of flavor to this dish, however, if it's not available, leave it out and use rosewater.
- Toasting the flour could take up to 30 minutes depending on the heat and the flour. Make sure not to turn the heat up so it won't burn.
- You can use ½ cup all purpose flour and ½ cup whole wheat flour if preferred.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 262IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg