Halva (Χαλβάς)

Halva is a traditional Greek dessert that is made with semolina. The semolina is toasted in olive oil and is then boiled in a flavoured syrup until it is thickened. Raisins are added and the semolina mixture is transferred to a mold until it is cooled and set.

Halva (Χαλβάς)

Have you ever made a bowl of Cream of Wheat cereal and not been able to eat it right away?  Maybe you had to tend to a fussy baby, a pesky telemarketer or a parcel delivery (hurray for on-line shopping).  No matter the interruption, when you finally settled in to add milk to your porridge, you were faced with a solid mass of wheat semolina.  The fact that semolina firms up as it sits is what halva banks on.

The Greek halva recipe which I am sharing here is grain-based and not the same thing as the nut butter or tahini based crumbly dessert with which it is often confused (no kidding, since they both go by the same name!).  This halva is semolina based and has a soft and somewhat gelatinous texture.  It is a great dessert to pull together when you have unexpected company or a sudden onset of sweet tooth-itis.  Because halva is not baked, it can be made quite quickly, and is ready to eat as soon as it cools and retains it’s shape.  

Why this recipe is great

It contains no eggs or dairy

An added bonus is that halva does not contain eggs or any dairy products, making it a wonderful treat for anyone following a vegan diet or for those abstaining from eggs and dairy during lent because it is nistisimo.

It is a no-bake dessert

It is handy to have a dessert recipe that does not need to be baked in the oven. Maybe your oven is already being used by your roast chicken with lemon potatoes! Maybe it is too hot outside to consider turning on the stove. Whatever the reason, options are great, especially when it comes to dessert.

Key ingredients

Sugar The syrup is sweetened with white granulated sugar – a mild flavour, but plenty of sweetness.

Lemon and orange peel Wash your fruit first, and avoid the white pith that can be bitter.

Cinnamon stick Adds the cinnamon flavour without changing the colour of the syrup as much as cinnamon powder would.

Cardamom pods The flavour of cardamom is a little hard to describe, but it is at once floral, and earthy, and also a bit minty. It is lovely in this halva syrup.

Semolina Use thick semolina to make halva. Semolina is a coarse flour made of durum wheat and it is typically yellow.

Olive oil Use Greek olive oil in this recipe – you will taste the difference!

Raisins You can use either golden or dark raisins. They add extra sweetness and flavour to your halva.

Orange blossom water A little bit of this aromatic water goes a long way. You can omit it if you don’t have it, or don’t like the flavour and aroma.

How to make it

Step 1
In a medium saucepan combine the water, sugar, lemon and orange peels, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer, covered, for approximately 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool. Remove spices and peels from the syrup and discard them.

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Step 2
In a large pot heat the olive oil and the semolina over medium heat.  Stir well and cook, stirring constantly until the semolina starts to brown slightly and smells toasty.  Move pot off of the burner for the next step.

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Step 3
Very carefully, add the syrup to the pot with the semolina and oil. It will likely splatter, so be very careful and be sure that there are no children or pets near the oven.  Once all of the syrup has been added, return the pot to the heat.  Reduce heat to low-medium.

Step 4
Add in the raisins and the orange blossom water.  Stir constantly.  The mixture will thicken and begin to pull away from the sides as you stir it.  When it has reached this consistency, remove from the heat and let it sit for a couple of minutes.

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Step 5
Ladle the mixture into a lightly greased mould, such as a bundt pan or a jell-o mould. You can use any mould you like, so long as it is heat resistant.  Let the halva cool and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Remove from mould and cut into serving pieces.

Recipe substitutions

Instead of raisins, you can add another dry fruit to the halva. Dried cranberries, chopped up dried figs or dates would all be delicious alternatives.

Instead of cardamom pods you can use a bit of nutmeg – 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg powder would be sufficient.

You can use another oil to make your halva. A lighter flavoured oil would make your dessert taste lighter and the colour would also be lighter.

Helpful hints

Use caution when combining the syrup with the semolina

I don’t want to scare you away from making this recipe, but I do want to be sure you are aware that when you combine the sugar syrup to the semolina mixture, you may have some splattering.  For this reason, it is very important to cook the semolina in a large, deep pot, and to add the liquid syrup slowly, and off the heat.

Pan options

When I make halva I usually allow it to take shape in a bundt pan or a jell-o ring mould. You can use anything to shape this dessert however.  I have made halva by pouring it into a rectangular baking pan, and then cutting square serving pieces. I have allowed it to set in silicone teddy bear moulds (just because I had them). I once even used a small cookie scooper to make balls of halva which were allowed to cool on a baking sheet.  The possibilities are endless, however I still find that the bundt pan or round jell-o mould give the prettiest presentation.  No matter what you use, be sure that it is heat resistant as you will add the halva to it while it is still hot.

Make your halva darker

I have noticed that some halvas appear to be a bit darker than mine is.  I think that this is because many people add ground cinnamon to their halva, whereas my parents always use cinnamon sticks to flavour the syrup, and so this is what I do. This way you get a more subtle cinnamon taste without darkening the halva too much.

Halva (Χαλβάς)

Frequently asked questions

Is halva versatile?

I like to add raisins to my halva, the way my parents do. However, you can consider the semolina base to be your blank canvas. Feel free to experiment with your add-ins.  In case you would like some inspiration, I have also made halva by adding slivered almonds, dried cranberries, pine nuts and various combinations of these.

Can I use fine semolina to make halva?

Semolina comes in two general varieties, fine and coarse. The fine semolina is used when you really don’t want to notice the texture of semolina – this is why I use it in my galaktoboureko recipe, where the custard filling is smooth and creamy. When making halva, you want some firmness, so the coarse semolina is ideal.

Storing

Halva will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Halva (Χαλβάς)

Servings

This recipe makes a halva that will easily feed 12 – 16 people, maybe even more. Halva tends to be quite sweet and for this reason most people do not need a very large piece.

Halva (Χαλβάς)

I have so many more halva recipes for you to try! I think you will really love these:

Chocolate halva You will love the rich chocolate flavour of this halva.

Apple and raspberry halva A double flavoured fruity halva that is light and delicious.

Semolina halva with petimezi Made with grape molasses, this is a unique twist to a classic recipe.

Chocolate halva (Χαλβάς με σοκολάτα)
Halva with apple and raspberry
Semolina halva with petimezi, or grape syrup, is a perfect vegan Greek dessert

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Halva (Χαλβάς)

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Halva (Χαλβάς)

Halva

Greek halva is a simple Greek vegan dessert made with semolina.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 24 pieces
Calories: 205kcal
Author: Mia Kouppa

Ingredients

  • 6 cups (48 ounces) water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • peel of one lemon
  • peel of one orange
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cardamon pods
  • 1 cup Greek olive oil
  • 2 cups thick semolina
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 tbsp orange blossom water

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan combine the water, sugar, lemon and orange peels, cinnamon sticks and cardamon pods.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer, covered, for approximately 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool. Remove spices and peels from the syrup and discard them.
    2 cups granulated sugar, 6 cups (48 ounces) water, peel of one lemon, peel of one orange, 3 cinnamon sticks, 4 cardamon pods
  • In a large pot heat the olive oil and the semolina over medium heat.  Stir well and cook, stirring constantly until the semolina starts to brown slightly and smells toasty.  Move pot off of the burner for the next step.
    1 cup Greek olive oil, 2 cups thick semolina
  • Very carefully, add the syrup to the pot with the semolina and oil. It will likely splatter, so be very careful and be sure that there are no children or pets near the oven.  Once all of the syrup has been added, return the pot to the heat.  Reduce heat to low-medium.
  • Add in the raisins and the orange blossom water.  Stir constantly.  The mixture will thicken and begin to pull away from the sides as you stir it.  When it has reached this consistency, remove from the heat and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
    1/2 cup raisins, 1 tbsp orange blossom water
  • Ladle the mixture into a lightly greased mould, such as a bundt pan or a jell-o mould. You can use any mould you like, so long as it is heat resistant.  Let the halva cool and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Remove from mould and cut into serving pieces.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Thanks for sharing!

16 Comments

  1. There is an Indian dessert very similar to this one, it uses milk instead of water and different flavourings… I love the use of a mold here!

    1. miakouppa says:

      That sounds delicious!

  2. Yes, there is an indian dessert that is similar. I made this yesterday (half quantity) and the citrus adds a very nice flavor. I will use your recipe again. txs.

    1. miakouppa says:

      That’s super, so glad you liked it!

  3. ehklambiris@gmail.com says:

    Perfect recipe. In my family instead of raisins we add almonds (toasted before Semolina in oil).

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thank you 🙂 Sometimes we use almonds too…it’s delicious. In fact, we will often use what we happen to have. We have even used dried cranberries which are good too.

  4. olivesandfeta says:

    Xalva was the very first thing I learnt to make. It was an afternoon tea dish in my village. Love your recipe. 💜💜💜✨✨

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thank you so much! It’s definitely a favourite of ours…especially when it’s really warm out and you don’t want to turn on the oven…you can still have dessert 🙂

  5. Is the orange blossoms water optional? What can be used instead?

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Margaret, it’s totally optional! You don’t have to add it 🙂

  6. I used your Greek Halva recipe to make dessert for my dinner party because in my rush I couldn’t find my Νενε’s recipe. Yours is delicious and much like my grandmother’s and my guests(ξένη) really enjoyed it too! I did add almonds with the raisins and I grated in some orange zest in place of the orange water. Thank you!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Susan! Glad to hear that you were able to turn to our recipe 🙂 and that your guests loved it! Nice idea to use orange zest in lieu of orange blossom water! Have you seen our other halva recipes? We’ve got plenty on the website! xoxo Helen & Billie

  7. Hi! Could you substitute honey for the sugar?

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Despina, Yes, in theory you should be able to – just not sure how much honey you would use as we have not done this before. You can try for an equal substitution and then adjust from there if too sweet (or not sweet enough). Enjoy and let us know how it goes! xoxo Helen & Billie

  8. Stephanie Marinos says:

    Hi girls! One of my favorite Greek desserts! But my mother always made halva with butter and not oil. My Thea, my mom’s sister, always made it with oil. With my taste buds there is no comparison, butter is sooo much tastier!! You should try it sometime! Yum

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Stephanie! We are sure that it is amazing with butter and we may try that one day! For us however, halva is a very typical dessert to enjoy during periods of lent, when we typically don’t consume dairy products. xoxo Helen & Billie

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