Travelers took it with pleasure on long journeys; they simply needed it. Firstly, halva is very high in calories, quickly satisfies hunger, in addition, a very small piece was enough for the traveler for a whole week, and secondly, it is able to not deteriorate for a long time. In Persia, this dessert was generally endowed with magical properties. Halva was first brought to Russia during the era of the Crusades. Our knights were very interested in the amazing delicacy that the eastern Saracens indulged in (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saracens). The confectioners who made halva were called kandalatchi. The profession of kandalatch still stands apart from other cooking professions today, and this is because the production of halva requires not only special training, but also the necessary skills. Unfortunately, today halva is made by hand only in three countries: Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey. Of course, halva created by the shackles of the mentioned countries is the best in taste and quality. How do real masters prepare this dessert?

Making halva

Let's see what halva is made of? It all starts with seeds. Usually they are dried with hot air. According to an old recipe, seeds peeled from husk must be fried, and exclusively on a cast-iron brazier. Only then will the seeds have a golden crust and a unique smell. It is important to constantly stir the seeds, if they burn, the halva will taste bitter. During frying, almost all moisture is evaporated from sunflower seeds. But the amount of useful oils does not decrease. In order for the grains to grind well, the amount of moisture in them should be no more than 2%. Each seed is half oil. The kandalatchi send the fried seeds to an excuter, which thoroughly grinds the kernels, turning them into a protein mass. An oily paste made from crushed seeds is called halvin. This is the basis of an old recipe. The paste is ground several times until it becomes liquid, like condensed milk. Then, following an old recipe, the craftsmen add a little vanilla. Next, caramel is prepared. First, the syrup is made from water, sugar and molasses. The finished sugar syrup should be thick and viscous. To turn the sweet mass into caramel, a decoction of the soap root is added to it. The roots of this Mediterranean plant contain substances called saponins, which, when shaken, form a thick white foam. To prepare halva, a decoction of soapwort is mixed with sugar syrup and shaken into a persistent foam. The result is a snow-white caramel. Then the magic begins. Caramel is combined with halvin. Both ingredients are mixed very liquid. How will the dessert become firm and crumbly? This is the magic. The future halva is kneaded with oars, as was done in the East many centuries ago. The trick is to gently pull the caramel strands while kneading. One thread can stretch up to 10 meters. Only with such careful mixing will halva turn out to be airy and fibrous. If the mass was stirred by a mixer, it would break the fragile caramel threads, making the dessert crumbly like sand. That is, if mechanisms are used in the manufacture of halva, a real, correct delicacy will never work. After kneading, halva is completely ready. Now it can be packed in boxes. Chocolate halva is also hand-kneaded. It is important not to overdo it here, otherwise the sweetness will turn out to be not airy, but tough.

How to choose the right halva

In our country now, unfortunately, halva is not made by hand. And in the industrial production of halva, the quality suffers greatly, halva quickly releases fat to the surface and goes rancid, or, conversely, crumbles and crumbles. In addition, our manufacturers, as you know, are guilty of adding all sorts of components to it: flavors, sweeteners and thickeners, replacing them with natural sugar and honey. These substances are completely not provided for by old recipes and, of course, worsen the taste of the product and its structure. Therefore, when buying, it is imperative to read the composition of halva. The package should contain only seeds or nuts, sugar or honey, a foaming agent (soap or licorice root), molasses and vanillin. Halva should have a layered fibrous structure, not crumble and be moderately moist. Well, if the packaging is transparent, then the buyer will be able to see the quality of the product offered to him. If drops of fat are visible inside the package, it means that either the technological process or the storage conditions of halva have been violated. It happens that halva literally floats from a pool of fat and its traces remain on the store shelf. This is generally unacceptable.

White caramel icicles, which can be seen on the break of halva, also indicate its low quality and disruption of the technological process. If you clearly see a dark bloom on a piece of halva, then its shelf life is almost over. The shelf life of the weighed-out delicacy is just over two months. If it is glazed with chocolate or packed using vacuum technology, then this period can be increased to six months. Also, halva should not contain particles of the husk of seeds or even nuts. This can only indicate the low quality of the product, which, moreover, is unsafe to give to children.

Properties and benefits of halva

Halva, it turns out, has not only a wonderful taste that melts in your mouth, but also wonderful beneficial properties that carry real value. To begin with, it must be said that good halva contains only natural ingredients, so it can be given to children without fear.

What is halva useful for?

It contains a large amount of vegetable fats. But not only them. Halva is rich in fatty acids, proteins and dietary fiber. It has a significant content of minerals necessary for a person: this is potassium, and zinc, and copper, and iron, as well as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. This healthy dessert has anti-aging properties. All the benefits of halva come down to the benefits of the products from which it is made. After all, seeds or nuts, when dried and crushed, do not lose their properties. Halvah, which contains several components, only enhances these properties.

The main benefit of any natural halva is the polyunsaturated fatty acids of plant origin it contains. These are substances such as linoleic, linolenic, oleic and other valuable acids. It also contains a lot of protein, which contains useful proteins and amino acids. And, of course, vitamins and minerals that this product is rich in. In general, depending on what raw material halva is made of, its useful properties will change. We will talk about this in more detail when we consider its various varieties.

The use of halva

Is it possible for nursing halva?

Of course, nursing mothers are very strict about their diet. And rightly so, because what they eat should not harm a newborn baby. But, if the question arises whether halva is possible for a nursing mother, then the answer to it is likely to be positive.

A young mother, of course, wants something sweet and tasty, but a lot is not allowed, for example, it is not recommended to consume chocolate. But halva made from natural products may well be an acceptable product for feeding. Many mothers eat it from the very first days after the birth of their baby. In some eastern countries, halva is even indicated for breastfeeding.

Let's remember what halva is made of? The main component is nuts or seeds. Both are non-allergenic and should not be harmful. In any case, if there is a choice between cake, candy or halva, then it is better to give preference to halva.

On the other hand, due to the high calorie content of the product, its use can negatively affect digestion. Here it is important to know that if the sweetness is poorly digested by the mother, then it will certainly cause an undesirable reaction in the child, for example, bloating.

Therefore, you need to follow the golden rule of all nursing mothers. Halva, like any other product, should be introduced gradually, starting with a small piece. If the child did not react very well to sunflower halva, then you can try another, for example, peanut or tahini. Fortunately, there are more than a dozen varieties of halva and there are plenty to choose from. The main thing is to monitor the naturalness of the composition and the shelf life. Over time, it will be possible to choose for yourself the manufacturer whose product is well suited for both the mother and the child. It's great if the mother has time to make this choice before the birth. To do this, you just need to eat a small piece of halva on an empty stomach, if it does not cause either pain or severity, then it will most likely be possible to eat it while feeding it without fear.

Is halva harmful?

Halva can bring in itself not only benefit, but also harm. The harm to halva is primarily in its calorie content and increased sweetness. The high sugar content immediately makes it unacceptable for people with diabetes. The high calorie content of halva creates serious restrictions in its use for overweight people. It may be contraindicated for those with a tendency to allergies. Since it is a fatty product, it should not be consumed in large quantities by those with problems with the pancreas or liver.

Due to the high calorie content of this dessert, nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 30 g of delicacies per day. The next aspect is the properties of the products that underlie halva. Over time, sunflower seeds can accumulate such an innocuous substance as cadmium. Therefore, it is better to use halva only fresh, since a product that has been lying for a long time can be harmful. Peanut halva can contain such a dangerous poison as aflatoxin, so it is better to refrain from offering it to children. In addition, unscrupulous manufacturers can add substances containing genetically modified organisms to tahini or sesame halva, which is most likely not useful for humans.

Halva types

• Sunflower halva. The most popular halva in our country is, of course, sunflower halva. We all know her since childhood and are loved by many. It is made from sunflower seeds. Its color should be about the same as the peeled seeds themselves. The benefits of sunflower halva are obvious. Its use can improve blood circulation, have a positive effect on the state of digestion in general, improve the functioning of the nervous system due to the rich content of B vitamins. Vitamins of this group can suppress depression and fight insomnia, they help even with such unpleasant ailments as acne and dandruff. Halva in sufficient quantities contains another vitamin useful for humans - vitamin D. Its content helps the body absorb calcium, we can say that it is simply necessary for this. And what is calcium for our body? These are strong bones and teeth, nails and hair. Vitamin E contained in the dessert helps the body to slow down the aging process. The benefit of sunflower halva is that the seeds themselves are an excellent means of preventing such a formidable disease as myocardial infarction. Sunflower seeds are also able to have a beneficial effect on the normal functioning of the biliary tract and liver. They have another remarkable property - they are able to inhibit the development of tumor processes in various organs such as the intestines, mammary glands, lungs, ovaries and human skin.
• Peanut halva. As the name implies, this is halva, which is obtained from peanuts. It differs in color from sunflower and should have a creamy shade. Peanuts are no less useful for the human body than sunflower seeds. The main advantage of peanuts is that they are incredibly rich in vitamin B9 or, as it is also called, folic acid. This vitamin is especially necessary for pregnant women, but not only for them. Among the advantages of folic acid is the ability to renew human cells, thereby slowing down the aging process. Other vitamins and microelements that make up peanuts make our nervous system work better, correct attention, and strengthen memory. Its beneficial effect on the body can hardly be overestimated; peanuts improve the functioning of the liver, heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole. It also removes free radicals well and inhibits the development of tumors.
• Sesame or tahini halva. In Turkey, halva is made from sesame seeds. It is called sesame or tahini halva. It is also customary to call this halva Turkish halva, since it is from this country that it originates and it is there that it is best made. Sesame halva is much lighter than sunflower, it has a light gray tint, in addition, it is endowed with a slightly bitter taste. Sesame is another storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Most of all it contains vitamin A, and this is vision, beautiful skin and the state of our immunity in general. Sesame is rich in zinc. This substance is essential for healthy hair and nails. Another valuable trace element is iron, which has a beneficial effect on blood composition. The phosphorus in sesame seeds improves brain function. Sesame seeds contribute to the normal functioning of the respiratory system, they also have anti-carcinogenic properties. They also have one more, recently discovered advantage. They are able to regulate oxygen metabolism, which helps cell renewal and enables the body to recover better from stress and stress. Sesame is also able to fight the negative effects of alcohol on the body and lower cholesterol levels.
• Walnut halva. Not only peanut kernels are used as raw materials for the manufacture of nut halva. Other nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, are often taken as a basis. Nuts are extremely rich in various vitamins, especially such as A, E and vitamins of almost the entire group B. In nuts, there is a sufficient amount of phosphorus and iron, calcium and potassium. Nuts should be consumed by the elderly to prevent the onset of senile dementia. They can also reduce the risk of heart attack.

Such kind of halva as pistachio is rarely found in stores, however, this does not detract from its taste and the nutrients it contains. It will help people recuperating after illnesses, it is also indicated for problems with the liver and heart. Pistachios have another magical property. Their ability to act as an aphrodisiac is known. Sometimes you can find a mention of the Azov halva. However, this kind of halva does not exist. In saying this, we usually mean the products of the Azov confectionery factory.

Halva is not difficult to make at home. All the ingredients that make up halva are available to most of us. It is enough to follow the recipe and, most importantly, the production technology. Then you yourself can get a delicate homemade halva with a wonderful delicate taste and unsurpassed aroma.

Samarkand halva is an oriental delicacy that is not only sweet and tasty, but also nutritious. You can cook it with your own hands. At the same time, you can get complete confidence in the usefulness and naturalness of all components.

This type of halva differs from the usual, well-known sunflower, in that walnuts and sesame seeds are used here. These components endow Samarkand halva with an interesting, delicate taste that amazes and falls in love with many of those who have tried it.

Ingredients for cooking

Samarkand halva, the recipe for which is presented below, is also called halvaitara or Uzbek halva, it is prepared quickly and not as difficult as it seems at first glance to an inexperienced hostess.

All ingredients can be bought in the store or taken at home, if you have the opportunity:

• Walnuts - you need about 200-250 g.
• Sesame - 100 g.
• Butter - 100 g.
• Wheat flour (preferably sifted) - 250 g.
• Vanilla sugar - one sachet.
• Granulated sugar - 250 g.

You can also add if you like:

• Almonds - 100 g.
• Pistachios - 100 g.
• Water - two glasses

Cooking syrup

Samarkand halva is a product that consists of three main ingredients: syrup, toasted flour and nuts.

To prepare the syrup, take an enamel saucepan, pour two glasses of water into it and bring to a boil. Add 250 g of sugar to boiling water. In this case, the heating temperature should not exceed the average. While stirring constantly, try to avoid a stable boil. Thus, we cook the syrup for 5-7 minutes. In this case, you can not let it boil more than 3 times. If done correctly, you will get a weak, medium-thick sugar syrup.

Fry flour

This procedure should be given special attention, as flour can be easily overcooked. As a result, it will acquire a dark color and bitter taste, which will ruin the whole halva as a whole.

Fry the flour in a large, clean skillet, greased with butter, over low heat, stirring constantly with a special spatula.

It is necessary to carry out the manipulation until the product changes its color to light brown or reddish.

The correct selection of nuts for halva

High-quality nuts in Samarkand halva are the most important factor that affects its taste and shelf life.

Sesame must be fresh, without bitterness and smell good. It is thanks to its taste and special aroma that such halva has a distinctive taste that has conquered the East, and now Europe and Russia.

Chop the sesame seeds. Although you can add it in its usual, pure form. You need to know that when grinding sesame seeds, Samarkand halva acquires a lighter shade.

Walnuts should also be inspected for mold and odors. Next - grind them in a blender or pass them through a meat grinder several times.

We mix all the components

Add the nuts and toasted flour to an enamel pan, in which there is already a slightly cooled syrup, mix all the ingredients thoroughly and put on medium heat.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the halva itself begins to lag behind the walls of the pan.

The finished treat must be placed in a special form, which should be chosen, given the fact that it will be difficult to get this product, since it will harden and may crumble.

It is best to use silicone molds or, in extreme cases, a hard transparent film in which you can wrap the Samarkand halva. The mold or film is greased with oil, the treat is sprinkled with sesame seeds on top and bottom and left in the refrigerator for a couple of hours until it cools completely.

Samarkand halva, the recipe with a photo of which can be found in this article, is ready.

Happy cooking and bon appetit!

By chance, when buying vegetables, my eyes fell on the sets of oriental sweets. I bought it not in a store, but in a small market. On the label - Tashkent halva.

It is presented in three types: creamy, chocolate and pistachio.

I was surprised by the large amount of crushed and whole nuts: cashews, almonds and seeds. Of course I took it. One package costs 100 rubles. Weight: 400 grams. I hadn’t tried such halva before and didn’t even know that there was one. And where, if not on the airek, you can find information that this is halva-kos. Found on the Internet

Kos-halva Halva is a national traditional dessert of Central Asia. In the East, there are numerous varieties of this sweet product, which are distinguished by an extraordinary taste and are of great benefit to the body. It should be noted that translated from Arabic halva and so it is translated - "sweetness".

The composition is natural. No chemistry was found. But this is in the syllable halva. I don’t think pistachio did without dyes. The packaging, however, leaves much to be desired. But I think that it is generally sold for weights. This has already been invented by the sellers-owners of the outlet. But well done. We did everything right.

And now about the taste of creamy halva. You can definitely say that this is a heavenly pleasure. Very light, sweet, but not cloying. It has nothing in common with ordinary sunflower or peanut halva, which, by the way, I do not like at all. Feels like a cross between sherbet, nougat and white chocolate. In consistency, it is neither hard nor loose, it does not crumble. We did not regret the nuts - there are a huge number of them: crushed cashews, crushed and whole almonds, seeds.

The calorie content, of course, is a problem: 380 kcal per 100 grams. But I will not deny myself this delicacy. Twice a day, 20 grams, so I will eat.

I am always happy to discover new tastes. Eastern cuisine continues to fall in love with itself. This sweetness has now settled in my kitchen for a long time. But it was creamy, chocolate and pistachio that we didn't like.

Hello everyone who dropped by !!

Who doesn't like to eat something tasty? It is unlikely that there will be such))) For me, the word "tasty" is associated with the word "sweet". I am ready to wrap up chocolates and cakes all day ... if I allowed myself this)) Unfortunately, my figure will not thank me for such a mockery, and all these sweets are not useful. It can be difficult to find some kind of tasty treat, so that it also has an adequate composition.

As an alternative to candy, I sometimes buy nuts or dried fruit at a local convenience store. On my last trip there, I came across a novelty - uzbek halva... Taste - chocolate-creamy with pistachios. Naturally, I could not pass by))) So what is this delicacy? Let's figure it out now!

Where did you buy it? At the local shop of oriental sweets. Alternatively, on the site you can find many types of Uzbek halva with delivery in Russia.

How much is? 65 UAH / 142 rubles for 500gr.

Packaging

I bought half-packaged halva, 500g each. It was a tightly closed transparent plastic container, which made me very happy - the product did not weather on the showcase, dust did not settle on it, or something worse.

At the top of the container was a label informing me that there was really Uzbek halva in front of me, as well as the composition of the product.

What's in the line-up?

I was very impressed with the composition even when buying:

Cream, water, honey, pine nut oil, almonds, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, chocolate.

Halva is made from completely natural ingredients. And you noticed? - there is not even sugar in the composition !!Weight Watchers will understand my delight))

Consistency, smell

In terms of consistency, the pieces of halva are quite dense, the sunflower halva we are used to is looser and more crumbly. When breaking, the plasticity of the mass is felt, which is a bit like plasticine.

Halva perfectly keeps its shape, when breaking a piece we get two halves, while there are practically no small crumbs (remember what would happen to our usual halva, if you try to break it - all hands, the whole table, and if you were not at all lucky, then the floor would be in crumbs). This property of Uzbek halva made me very happy, you can safely eat it with your hands and not worry about the cleanliness of your hands and surrounding objects.

Smell I would call it creamy chocolate with hints of honey and nuts. An interesting mix, without one pronounced note.

Color. As you can see, halva is two-tone. The dairy part has a creamy hue, the chocolate part is chocolatey.

Trying ..

When I read the composition for the first time and saw honey there, I was afraid that it would be very much felt in halva. And I really do not like this, I do not like this product at all, although I understand that it is very useful. But no ... to my happiness, honey is not felt at all. Thanks to him, there is a pleasant sweetness in halva, but there is no characteristic aftertaste.

What else is there in the taste of Uzbek halva, besides sweetness? Creamy chocolate notes are felt, and pistachios are also clearly felt - they can be seen with the naked eye, they are finely detailed and densely distributed over the halva.

On top of the pieces of halva are nuts - cashews or almonds, they also add their own notes to the overall taste.

By the way, about the nuts on top))) When I opened the box with halva for the first time, I immediately saw THEM - nuts !!! And involuntarily, a hand reached out to them in order to knock them out of a piece of halva and eat it)) But it was not there - as it turned out, the nuts are not whole there, but only their small pieces. For decor, so to speak. Bummer comrades)))

For comparison, I can say that Uzbek halva vaguely reminiscent of sweet iristhat was sold in my childhood - not sticky butterscotch candy, but a brown iris in the form of tiles. Only Uzbek halva is less sweet, it still contains a mixture of delicious nuts and healthy pine nut oil with honey.

Perfect as a pleasant dessert for tea, especially in the current cool weather outside the window!

☆☆☆ Draw conclusions ☆☆☆

Uzbek milk chocolate halva has the following advantages:

• natural ingredients with no sugar in the composition
• original pleasant taste
• acceptable price

Disadvantages - you can eat a lot))) very tasty.

Bon appetit to everyone !!

And for lovers of interesting sweet desserts, I suggest looking into a couple of my reviews:

• about Turkish Halva tahini (sesame) with cocoa
• o Pishmaniye (or Threaded halva) - an unusual and tasty Turkish sweet.

Uzbek halva recipe

Ingredients:

• high-quality flour - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• ghee - 25 g;
• milk - 2 tbsp.;
• water;
• white sugar - 0.5 tbsp.

Preparation

Dissolve the ghee in a deep bowl, add the sifted flour and mix. Brown the mixture until it becomes brownish. After that, pour in a little water and stir again so that there are no lumps. Boil milk separately, throw sugar into it and wait for complete dissolution. Then combine milk syrup with toasted flour and boil over low heat until thickened. We put the finished Uzbek white halva in molds greased with oil and carefully tamp it. When the delicacy has completely cooled down, cut it into small pieces and serve.

Uzbek halva with nuts

Ingredients:

• - 200 g;
• sesame seeds - 100 g;
• flour - 250 g;
• butter - 110 g;
• vanillin.

For syrup:

• sugar - 250 g;
• fat;
• water - 400 ml.

Preparation

First, let's prepare the syrup: boil water in a saucepan and pour in the required amount of sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat until thick.

Lightly fry the sesame seeds and cool. Brown the flour in a frying pan, greased with lamb fat in advance. We pass all the nuts several times through a meat grinder. After that, mix the flour with sugar syrup and nuts. We transfer the resulting mass to enameled dishes and cook the Uzbek halva, stirring constantly, over medium heat. After 25 minutes, put the treat into a mold and sprinkle with sesame seeds on top. We tighten the halva with a film, lightly press down on top and close the form with a tight lid.

Uzbek halva with pistachios

Ingredients:

Preparation

So, take a cast iron pan, pour milk and add chopped pistachios. Then we throw in sugar and ghee. Mix everything thoroughly and bring to a boil over medium heat. After that, we reduce the flame and boil the mass, stirring occasionally with a spoon. When there is almost no milk left, remove the dishes from the stove and put the halva in a prepared container. After complete hardening, cut the delicacy into rhombuses and decorate with a nut. You can sprinkle halva with sesame seeds, powdered sugar, or chopped walnuts if you wish.