Pages

Monday 5 March 2012

making homemade halva

  Lets make Halva today, its easy!!

                     RECIPE
        500grms semolina
       250grms vegetable butter /or 1 glass of  good olive oil
        ½ glass of roasted chopped almonds or walnuts (optional)
              
             FOR THE SYRUP 

        5 ½ CUPS OF WATER 
         1 ½ CUPS OF SUGAR
         1 CUP OF HONEY
         CINNAMON STICK
         LEMON PEEL
      

    Today I decided to make a halva ,I thought it would be fun to blog about it !!
   this is my first food blog so please be understanding ....
Well first things first  halva is usually made when we fast for Easter or Christmas ,
 but as it is so nice I make it all year round !!
  So lets get started first of all put the water , sugar,honey,lemon peel and cinnamon stick in a pan to boil remove any froth that forms with a spoon ,as soon as it boils remove from the heat .....


Now then in another pan put the butter or olive oil and wait till it heats up do not leave the pan unattended at any time  (be careful not to over heat as oil can catch fire ) 


 Next add the semolina to the melted butter /oil .keep stirring with a plastic or wooden spoon until the semolina becomes golden. lower the heat if it starts to brown instead of becoming golden
               
       
Now remove the pan from the heat this is the hardest part very carefully and slowly add the syrup to the semolina ( don't forget to remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick from the pan ) ..The semolina will start to bubble and can burn you please be careful ..




 When you have poured in all the syrup put the pan back on a low heat and keep stirring until it has absorbed the liquid remove from heat .. At this point you can add nuts and even raisins if you like I leave mine without because my youngest son is allergic to nuts ..
There are many ways to serve halva you can put it in single moulds or  in one big mould like i have in the photo 
using a spoon fill the mould and gently push it so there are no gaps ,when it has cooled a bit put a nice plate over the mould and turn it over  remove the mould sprinkle with cinnamon and start eating ....enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

                            


   don't forget to check out my etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/helenshmcreations