Dessert - by Scarlett

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Halva - Dessert

Semolina and Nut Halva

July 19th 2006 13:45

Semolina and Nut Halva

About Semolina and Nut Halva

Semolina is coarsely ground durum wheat, a highly glutinous wheat. Semolina is a popular ingredient in many desserts and pastries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Halva is used to describe two distinctly different types of sweet, block shaped confections. One type of halva is based on semolina that is popular in India, Pakistan, and Persia. The other type is based on tahini, which is more popular in the East Mediterranean region.
Here, the Semolina and Nut halva provides a spongy base for soaking up a deliciously fragrant spicy syrup.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 10

For the halva
115 gm / ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
115 gm / ½ cup caster sugar
finely grated rind of 1 orange, plus
30 ml / 2 tablespoons orange juice
3 eggs
175 gm / 1 cup semolina
10 ml / 2 teaspoons baking powder
115 gm / 1 cup ground hazelnuts

To finish
350 gm / 1½ cups caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, halved
juice of 1 lemon
60 ml / 4 tablespoons orange flower water
50 gm / ½ cup unblanched hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

50 gm / ½ cup unblanched almonds, toasted and chopped
shredded rind of 1 orange

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the base of a deep 23cm/9in square solid-based cake tin.

2. Lightly cream the butter in a bowl. Add the sugar, orange rind and juice, eggs, semolina, baking powder and hazelnuts and beat the ingredients together until smooth.

3. Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just firm and golden. Leave to cool in the tin.

4. To make the syrup, put the sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan with 575ml/2¼ cups water and the half cinnamon sticks. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved completely.

5. Bring to the boil and boil fast, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Measure half the boiling syrup and add the lemon juice and orange flower water to it. Pour over the halva. Reserve the remainder of the syrup in the pan.

6. Leave the halva in the tin until the syrup is absorbed then turn it out on to a plate and cut diagonally into diamond-shaped portions. Scatter with the nuts.

7. Boil the remaining syrup until slightly thickened then pour it over the halva. Scatter the shredded orange rind over the cake and serve with lightly whipped or clotted cream.

Tips:

Be sure to use a deep solid-based cake tin, rather than one with a loose base, otherwise the syrup might seep out.

**From “A Taste of the Mediterranean” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” **