I’m often almost apologising for not having a sweet tooth but there are some ‘sweet’ flavours I can’t resist. And halva is right at the top of the list; indeed I should admit I find it positively addictive. The great thing about this being a frozen treat is that the only freezer we own is in the garage at the bottom of the garden, which saves me from eating them all at once!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons hazelnuts
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 2/3 cup (180 g) unhulled tahini
- 1/3 cup (50 g) Australian dried pears, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons black or white toasted sesame seeds (or a mixture of both)
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced).
- Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and cook for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Pour into a clean tea towel and rub off the skins while still warm. Finely chop and set aside.
- Grease and line a 10 cm x 18 cm baking tin with baking paper, leaving the sides overhanging.
- Place the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat until just melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Using a fork, mix through the tahini, chopped nuts and dried pear. Pour the halva mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Scatter with the toasted sesame seeds, then freeze for 5 hours or until firm.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into 2.5 cm x 4.5 cm bars. Wrap each one in baking paper and twist the ends like bon bons, then store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to consume.
