Turkish semolina halva (irmik helvası) — ingredients and method
One of the best-loved desserts of the Turkish table, for holidays, guests and winter evenings: semolina toasted in butter, a milky syrup and pine nuts. Copy the ingredients to your room, tick off what's missing at the shop, and keep the steps open on your phone.
Serves 6 · 30 min
In short
Turkish semolina halva for 6 takes 1 cup each of semolina, sugar, milk and water, 100 g of butter and 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, and is ready in about 30 minutes. Toast the pine nuts and semolina in butter for 12–15 minutes until golden, stir in the hot milky syrup and let it steam for 10 minutes; vanilla ice cream is optional.
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Ingredients
- Semolina1 cup
- Butter100 g
- Granulated sugar1 cup
- Milk1 cup
- Water1 cup
- Pine nuts2 tbsp
- Vanilla1 sachet (optional)
- Salta pinch
- Vanilla ice creamoptional, to serve
Method
Bring the sugar, milk and water to the boil in a pot until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vanilla and salt. Keep it hot over very low heat; the syrup must go in hot.
Melt the butter in a wide, heavy-based pot over medium heat; add the pine nuts and stir for 2–3 minutes until lightly coloured.
Add the semolina and toast, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Keep the heat medium-low so it doesn't burn.
Reduce the heat. Add the hot syrup slowly with a long-handled spoon, standing a step back from the pot; the mixture will bubble up and can spit.
Stir quickly until all the syrup is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot with the lid over a tea towel and let it steam for 10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and serve warm. If you like, shape it with a spoon and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside; warm halva against cold ice cream works beautifully.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is my semolina halva sticky or tastes of raw semolina?
Usually the semolina wasn't toasted long enough; stir it for 12–15 minutes until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. A hot syrup and accurate measures also keep the halva fluffy and grainy.
How long does semolina halva keep?
Because it contains milk, it keeps 3–4 days in a covered container in the fridge; don't leave it out for more than 2 hours. Reheat it gently in the microwave or a pan and fluff it with a fork before serving.
How do I serve semolina halva with ice cream?
Shape the warm halva on the plate with a spoon or a small mould, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream next to it and eat right away; the ice cream melts quickly against the warm halva. It's optional, and the halva is lovely on its own.
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