Turkish cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Flour Halva

Flour halva, slowly toasted in butter to a deep nutty aroma and bound into a soft mass with sugar syrup.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 300 g flour
• 200 g butter
• 300 g sugar
• 600 ml water
• 50 g walnuts
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Bring the sugar and water with a pinch of salt to a boil, boil at a rolling boil for 5 min. until the sugar has fully dissolved, then simply keep the syrup hot.
2. Roughly chop the walnuts and toast in a dry pan for 2–3 min. until fragrant; set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat and stir in the flour in two portions until a smooth, glossy paste forms.
4. Toast over low heat, stirring almost constantly, for 20–25 min. — the mixture first turns sandy, then light, and finally caramel-brown, smelling distinctly of toasted nuts.
5. Pull the pot off the heat, carefully pour in the hot syrup in three additions, stirring vigorously smooth after each addition until the mixture thickens and bubbles.
6. Let rest covered for 10 min., then scoop into dumplings with a tablespoon, dust with cinnamon, sprinkle with the walnuts and serve lukewarm.