Matcha Halva

This little bite-sized matcha halva is like heaven in a candy. They are one of the easiest candies to make in my opinion, and so fun as a quick halloween treat or something to make to have on hand throughout the week.

If you haven’t heard of halva, it’s a Middle Eastern sweet that varies across regions, but usually consists of a base of tahini, then cooked sugar and vanilla extract. This gives the candy a shattery, fudge-like texture with a subtle nuttiness that is totally delicious. I’ve added matcha to this version for a green color and light flavor, as well as chia seeds for texture, thickness and crunch.

For a five-minute candy, this recipe delivers. If you’re a halva fan, or even if you’ve never had it, this matcha halva is sure to get you hooked.

What is halva?

Halva, although it has many names across many regions, is a type of confectionary hailing from Persia. It is now found in multiple regions across the Middle East, and can vary in preparation. Commonly you’ll find halva made with a paste made from flour, semolina, or finely ground seeds or nuts (such as sesame or sunflower seeds), and sweetened with sugar or honey. In this case we are riffing on the classic tahini-based halva, which is why tahini is such a core component of this recipe.

Ingredients you will need for this matcha halva

Now that we have halva covered, here is everything you need to make this slightly untraditional version!

• 1 & 1/2 cups tahini
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1 tbsp ceremonial grade matcha powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 bar dark chocolate, 57 grams
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp edible flowers

How to make this matcha halva

And what’s wonderful about halva is it is typically very easy to make. All you need to do is whisk together the tahini and the other base ingredients, heat up your sugar and water, and combine. Here is a step-by-step breakdown to keep you organized as you make this matcha halva:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, chia seeds, matcha powder and kosher salt. Set this aside.
• In a small pot or saucepan, add the sugar, water and vanilla extract. Put this on medium heat and stir to combine. Let the sugar start to bubble slightly, stirring often.
• Let the sugar mixture get to 245°F and then immediately pour it into the tahini mixture.
• Quickly stir the sugar mixture and tahini together, the tahini will immediately begin to thicken and seize up.
• Pour the halva mixture into two parchment lined 8″x5″ loaf pans, pouring the mixture until it is about 1.5″ high. Tap on the counter to smooth out the top, and then move the pans to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
• While the halva is setting, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together until smooth. You can do this in the microwave in 30 second increments.
• When the halva is set, slice each pan into 12 pieces. Drizzle the chocolate mixture on top of each piece, and sprinkle with edible flowers. Move back to the fridge to set a second time.
• Let the halva set another 30 minutes in the fridge, and then serve!
• Store the halva in the fridge and grab a piece whenever you’d like one. These will keep for up to two weeks.

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And that’s everything for this matcha halva recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3