Halva with Pine Nuts, Raisins and Crushed Carob Rusks

A new halva recipe from us, made with love and care. It’s time to try the classic halva… with a twist! We added that special something to elevate the recipe — crushed Carob Bites.

What we will need:

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup corn oil
1 cup coarse semolina
1 cup fine semolina
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup pine nuts
½ tsp ground cinnamon for serving

For the syrup:

Peel from half an unwaxed lemon
Peel from half an orange
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water
2½ cups sugar
½ glass honey
2 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)
Carob Bites

Execution:

In a saucepan, boil the syrup ingredients for 3–4 minutes.
In a second saucepan, add the olive oil and corn oil. Over low heat, sauté the semolina, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
When the semolina begins to color, add the pine nuts and continue stirring and sautéing for another 2–3 minutes until golden. The longer you sauté, the darker and richer the halva will be. Finally, add the raisins.
Turn off the heat and, using a ladle, carefully add the hot syrup to the semolina little by little, stirring constantly. Be cautious and keep your distance, as the hot syrup will bubble and splash.
Once all the syrup is added, place the saucepan back on very low heat and stir until the halva becomes dry and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. At this point, the halva is ready.
Transfer the halva to a mold, cover with a towel, and let it cool.
Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar (optional), ground cinnamon, and crushed carob rusks.