Grain Free Turkish Tahini Halva

A German named Friedrich Unger, the confectioner of Greek King Otto the First writes a book on Eastern Confectionary in 1837. I am saying Eastern but it’s actually a deep study of Ottoman Empire’s dessert culture. Unger visits Topkapi Palace’s halva making room with special permission and writes:

“Halva cauldrons buried deep inside walls, kadaif noodle stoves and sesame mills catch my attention. All ingredients are carelessly spread over here and there. Sesame halvas are being made for the servants in the second and third courtyards of the palace.”

Unger also describes dessert makers in Istanbul : “Halva-maker’s store is different than other dessert selling stores. Halva is a mixture of honey, sesame, tahini, semolina, hazelnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, walnuts, rose petals and almonds. From this ingredients 10 types of halvas are being made. Most populars are meat halva, tahin halva and sesame halva…”

Nowadays, Halva, a very important part of our culinary culture, a food that deserved a special kitchen for its making, has glycose syrup inside instead of honey. It only contains artificial additives.

Except mine, of course. I can call it Ottoman style. Bon appetit!

Grain Free Turkish Tahini Halva

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1 cup (200 ml) tahini

100 gr coconut flour (I am making it myself)

4 – 5 tbspns honey

1 tbspn cacao (optional)

Yapılışı:

1-Blend all ingredients except for cacao in a deep bowl.

2-Pour inside a preferably silicone rectangular mold.

3-If you desire a halva with cacao marbles, Pour 3/4 of the batter inside your mold, add the cacao to the rest. Blend until homogeneous and pour on top of the rest. Wave up the halva with a stick.

4-Keep in the fridge for 4 hours. Slice and serve.