Homemade Halva "Tou Bakali" with Coffee Aroma

Taste of coffee on Shrove Monday and Lent.

Halva is without a doubt one of the most popular traditional sweets in Greece - and in the past, one of the most popular. After all, its name, which has Arabic roots, simply means "sweet", which indicates its widespread use and popularity. Halva, in various preparations, is found in all the countries of the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, while its spread extends to the Arab and Middle Eastern countries and reaches as far as India and Pakistan.

In Greece, the most common types of halva are the farsalino (of the bazaar) which is prepared with niseste, the tahini (of the grocer) which is especially common during fasting periods and the semolina (the homemade). Each type of halva has its fanatical friends, however it is a fact that semolina halva is a simple and easy dessert, which evokes beautiful taste memories in all of us.

How easy is it to make homemade "grocer" halva at home? Although tahini halva is a classic dessert that we buy ready-made (everyone has their favorite brand), it is not difficult to prepare the homemade version, giving of course the delicious twist we love - in this case, a wonderful coffee aroma!

What do we need for the Homemade Tahini Halva with Coffee Aroma?

A pinch of salt
120 ml Water
450 grams of tahini without sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee, dissolved in a little water
1 tablespoon coffee beans
450 grams of granulated sugar


How do we prepare the Homemade Tahini Halva with Coffee Aroma?

Apply plastic wrap to a mold, and spread the coffee beans. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, place the water, sugar and salt and cook over low heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Stop stirring as soon as it boils, and continue boiling until it reaches a temperature of 120 degrees Celsius
Heat the tahini to 48-50 degrees Celsius, stirring constantly gently so that it does not stick and burn.
Put the tahini in a mixer, add the instant coffee, and carefully pour the hot syrup.
Stir on the lowest speed, until the mixture loses some of its shine and begins to acquire the right texture.
We quickly transfer it to the form we have prepared.
Let it cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting it into pieces.


Tips for a successful Tahini Halva with Coffee Aroma!

The key elements for the success of our dessert are the temperature, the speed of mixing and the mixing time, variables to which we must pay attention.
Confectionery thermometers are necessary in order to have complete control of the temperature
We do not mix much, because the texture spoils and our halva will start to rub. We will need a little experience to know the mixing time, as it depends directly on the quality of our tahini.
We choose a good, quality tahini from 100% sesame, without added sugar
If we want a more intense coffee taste, add a little instant coffee more, as long as we do not overdo it.
As it has no preservatives, homemade halva "endures" much less than commercial halva. If we want to keep it for more than 4-5 days, we put it in the fridge.

This year's Shrove Monday and Lent will taste like coffee this year - with delicious, homemade tahini halva.