Semolina and Nut Halva Recipe
Ingredients
| 115 g / 4 oz / 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened | ||
| 115 g / 4 oz / 1/2 cup caster sugar | ||
| Finely grated rind of 1 orange, plus 30 ml / 2 tbsp juice | ||
| Eggs | 3 (For the halva) | |
| 175 g / 6 oz / 1 cup semolina | ||
| 10 ml / 2 tsp baking powder | ||
| 115 g / 4 oz / 1 cup ground hazelnuts | ||
| 350 g / 12 oz / 1 1/2 cups caster sugar | ||
| Cinnamon sticks | 2 , halved (To finish) | |
| Lemon juice | 1 (To finish) | |
| 60 ml / 4 tbsp orange flower water | ||
| 50 g / 2 oz / 1/2 cup unblanched hazelnuts, toasted and chopped | ||
| 50 g / 2 oz / 1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted and chopped | ||
| Shredded rind of 1 orange | ||
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Grease and line the base of a deep 23 cm / 9 in square solid-based cake tin.
2. Lightly cream the butter in a bowl. Add the sugar, orange rind and juice, eggs, semolina, baking powder and hazelnuts and beat the ingredients together until smooth.
3. Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just firm and golden. Leave to cool in the tin.
4. To make the syrup, put the sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan with 575 ml / 18 fl oz / 2 1/4 cups water and the half cinnamon sticks. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved completely.
5. Bring to the boil and boil fast, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Measure half the boiling syrup and add the lemon juice and orange flower water to it. Pour over the halva. Reserve the remainder of the syrup in the pan.
6. Leave the halva in the tin until the syrup is absorbed then turn it out on to a plate and Scatter with the nuts.
2. Lightly cream the butter in a bowl. Add the sugar, orange rind and juice, eggs, semolina, baking powder and hazelnuts and beat the ingredients together until smooth.
3. Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just firm and golden. Leave to cool in the tin.
4. To make the syrup, put the sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan with 575 ml / 18 fl oz / 2 1/4 cups water and the half cinnamon sticks. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved completely.
5. Bring to the boil and boil fast, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Measure half the boiling syrup and add the lemon juice and orange flower water to it. Pour over the halva. Reserve the remainder of the syrup in the pan.
6. Leave the halva in the tin until the syrup is absorbed then turn it out on to a plate and Scatter with the nuts.
Chef
