Wheat Flour Halva

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This recipe for halva, a Persian spin on the Middle Eastern dessert, has a wheat flour base flavored with saffron, rose water, and cardamom.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup rose water
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pinch saffron
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1 Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small pot, stirring until sugar dissolves into a syrup. Stir rose water, cardamom, and saffron into the syrup. Reduce heat to low; cover to keep syrup hot.
2 Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour until mixture is a smooth paste, about 1 minute. Cook, stirring constantly, until paste turns brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
3 Remove flour mixture from heat. Whisk in hot syrup gradually until syrup is completely absorbed and mixture is the consistency of a smooth, soft paste, at least 4 minutes.
4 Spread mixture in a shallow bowl. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.