Greek cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Halvas Farsalon

Jelly-like starch halva from Farsala with a deeply caramelized sugar crust on top.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 200 g rice flour
• 400 g sugar
• 1.2 l water
• 100 ml sunflower oil
• 100 g sugar for the crust
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. In a bowl, stir the rice flour with 400 ml of the cold water until completely lump-free and set aside; thinly grease a 26 cm round pan with the oil.
2. In a heavy pot, melt 300 g of the sugar over medium heat without stirring for 6–8 min., until an amber caramel forms – no darker, or it turns bitter.
3. Carefully pour in the remaining water in small amounts; the caramel will spatter briefly, then dissolve while stirring and add the remaining sugar with the salt.
4. Slowly stir in the rice flour milk over medium heat and cook the mixture 12–15 min. while stirring constantly, until it is glossy, thick and comes away from the bottom of the pot; work in the oil and vanilla.
5. Pour the mixture into the pan, smooth it out and sprinkle evenly with the sugar for the crust, then caramelize under the preheated oven grill 5–7 min., until the crust bubbles deep brown.
6. Let the halva set for at least 3 hrs. at room temperature, cut into diamonds and serve crust side up.