Instructions
- Make the syrup first so it is hot and ready when the semolina needs it. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, citrus peel, and cloves if using, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, lower the heat and let the syrup simmer gently for about 5 to 8 minutes without stirring — stirring a hot sugar syrup can cause it to crystallize and turn grainy. Keep the syrup hot and covered while you toast the semolina.
- In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers slightly.
- Add the semolina all at once and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. This toasting step is what gives halva its flavor, so be patient: cook for 10 to 15 minutes, lowering the heat if it begins to bubble or color too fast, until the semolina turns a deep, even golden brown and smells distinctly toasty and nutty.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the ground cinnamon.
- Fish the cinnamon stick, cloves, and citrus peel out of the hot syrup. Working carefully and standing back a little, ladle the hot syrup into the toasted semolina in two or three additions, stirring constantly — the mixture will hiss, bubble, and splatter vigorously the moment the liquid hits the hot pan, so keep your stirring arm covered and your face clear.
- Once all the syrup is incorporated, return the pot to low heat and keep stirring for a minute or two, until the mixture thickens into a soft, cohesive mass that starts to pull away from the sides of the pot.
- Take the pot off the heat and fold in the raisins, if using, along with half of the toasted nuts.
- Cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest, undisturbed, for 10 to 15 minutes; this lets any remaining liquid absorb and the semolina finish softening.
- Spoon the warm halva into individual bowls, or press it into a lightly oiled bundt pan or loaf tin, smoothing and packing the surface with the back of a spoon.
- If using a mold, let the halva cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for about an hour until firm enough to unmold cleanly onto a plate.
- Scatter the remaining toasted nuts over the top and finish with a generous dusting of ground cinnamon before serving, either warm or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- Use the mildest, lightest-tasting olive oil you have — a strong, peppery extra virgin oil can make the finished halva taste bitter or overly oily.
- Toast the semolina low and slow rather than rushing it on high heat; the difference between pale and deep golden semolina is the difference between bland and richly nutty halva.
- Add the syrup off the heat and in stages, not all at once — this is the step that catches new cooks off guard, since even lukewarm syrup will bubble up fiercely against hot semolina.
- A pinch of orange zest or a splash of orange juice in the syrup is a common regional variation that pairs beautifully with the cinnamon.
- Halva keeps well at room temperature, covered, for 3 to 4 days, and is traditionally eaten slightly warm or at room temperature rather than chilled.