Helva - Turkish Desert

Hello! Today I have for you the most cheap desert I know! It is called Helva and it is Turkish! Helva is one of the oldest Turkish sweet and is a very popular sweet in Turkey. All Turks serve helva on special occasions such as Ramazan, Kandil and other holly days, but especially to mark births and deaths. 

I have for you the most simple recipe and I have to say it is delicious! It is so cheap and so simple to make that you won't believe. 

There are others recipes where you can change some ingredients and add others like chocolate, nuts, pistachio, almond and others.

Here it goes:

So, you will need 3 cups of white flour, 1 cup of oil, 2 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar and a tea spoon of cinnamon. In first place you mix the flour with the oil and cook it till it gets darker (as you see in the photographs). In a bowl add the sugar with the cinnamon and the the water (I use hot water because it's easier to solve the sugar. Then add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture, carefully and calmly and mix it again. Turn off the stove and make little balls.

Flour and oil mixture before going to the stove.

Flour mixture after going to the stove and starting to cook.

Boiled water with sugar and cinnamon.

Flour mixture being cooked. Notice the texture change.

The flour mixture cooked. Ready to add the cinnamon mixture.

After mixing everything. Be careful because it gets dangerous. 

My desert ready to be eaten!

More Information:

"In modern Turkish cuisine, there are two main types of 'helva.' The first type is made with a firm nut or sesame seed paste and sold in blocks. This type of 'helva' is very difficult to prepare at home, and is usually bought in stores.

The second type of 'helva' made from starches like flour or semolina is more popular with home cooks. This type of 'helva' is made by toasting the semolina or flour in large amounts of butter or oil.

It's then softened with milk and sweetened with sugar, honey or grape molasses called 'pekmez' (peck-MEZ') and left to set. Sometimes other ingredients like cocoa powder and nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts or pistacios are added." in Turkish Food.

"there is another way of eating it and that is hot. Yes, you can mix it with lemon juice, lemon or orange zest, chopped hazelnuts or walnuts, or even cognac or orange liqueur and bake it in the oven!" in Seasonal Cook In Turkey.