I recently had pistachio-studded halva at a restaurant and loved it. I had it at a Turkish restaurant but a lot of countries across the Middle East, Asia and North Africa eat it. And there are countless versions of it depending on the country. The version I had was nutty and sweet and had such a unique flavor. While the version I had was solid, almost like a piece of soft, crumbly chocolate, I had visions of the flavor smothered on a piece of toast. I came home and tried it spread form: a little tahini, honey and salt. SO GOOD! I ended up taking it a step further by stirring in some good quality cocoa powder.
Think of it like a good(ish)-for-you version of Nutella. The tahini provides this deliciously nutty and smooth texture. The cocoa powder immediately makes it a bit decadent. And the honey really balances out any bitterness that might come from the tahini and cocoa powder. The salt is also a requirement. Salt instantly makes everything taste a million times better, including this spread.
I toasted up a slice of brioche and smothered this halva chocolate spread on top. I sprinkled a bit of sesame seeds for some texture and ate it with a glass of milk. It was my treat for the day and now its yours.
Halva Chocolate Spread
Spread Adrianna Adarme's halva chocolate spread on toast or fruit. Learn more at the Fresh Tastes blog.
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 2 to 3 tablespoons good quality honey (such as wildflower honey)
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- Sea salt
Ingredients
- Typically tahini has oil resting on the top. Take a spoon of knife and give it a very thorough stir so the oil is reincorporated.
- Measure out the tahini and pour it into a small bowl. Using a fork, whisk in 2 tablespoons of honey and the cocoa powder until everything is completely combined. Add a few pinches of salt and give it a taste.
- Adjust the honey amount to your liking. If it’s still slightly bitter, pour in an additional tablespoon of honey. Smother this spread on toast or a piece of fruit. This chocolate spread keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Directions
Yield: One cup
Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.