Are you familiar with halva (or halvah)? It is a Middle Eastern candy that is pretty unique in texture and taste. I often have a hard time describing it (see my in-depth description in my basic halva recipe). Have you ever had a Butterfinger? You know that crystalized texture in the middle? It is something like that only softer and it kind of melts away when it hits the tongue. It is so good and you definitely want to try it if you haven’t had it. This is my chocolate covered halva recipe and one of my favorite versions.
Making this candy has special meaning for me. It was my dad’s favorite candy and one of the few sweets he indulged in on a regular basis. Growing up, there was always a bar of halva in our refrigerator and every kid in our house (all six of us) knew that was “daddy’s candy”. Like all things you are told you “can’t have”, I wanted it, loved it and still crave it from time to time. I made it for the first time when I started blogging and have been making it, ever since. It has been a joy and a gift of love learning to make it, and I know he would have gone nuts over this recipe. I served it for Christmas 2020 and learned that my niece’s finance and family loved Halva (who knew?). So this been a regular on my dessert buffet ever since. On a mission to try new flavors, I also have a basic halva and an Israeli Tahini halvah for you to try. You’ll also want to check out my Halvah Apple Bars.
How to make chocolate covered halva
- To get started, spray an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and then line it with parchment paper. Leave 2-inch overhang on both of the long sides.
- Mix the tahini (often the oil has separated from the sesame paste so stir this completely before adding to other ingredients), salt and 2 Tbsp. of the mixed sesame seeds in a medium bowl to combine. Put that to the side.
- Cook the sugar and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved (about 4-5 minutes). Increase the heat to medium high and fit with a candy thermometer. Cook the syrup, brushing the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush as needed to dissolve the crystalized sugar that forms, until the thermometer reads 250 degrees F. exactly. (This can take anywhere from 7-10 minutes)
- As soon as it hits 250 degrees F., immediately remove pan from stove and gradually add to the tahini in the bowl stirring constantly with a spatula. Continue to mix until the halva comes together into a smooth mass and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl (takes under a minute for this to happen). Don’t over mix this or the candy becomes crumbly. Immediately scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Let cool completely. Then, let this sit overnight to completely set. You can leave it in the pan and cover with plastic wrap.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals stirring after each 30-second period until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
- Invert your set halva onto a wire rack sitting over a parchment lined baking sheet (to catch the dripping chocolate). Pour your chocolate over the halva and smooth it out so it completely covers the top and sides of the candy.
- Sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and flaky salt. Let sit until the chocolate is set. You can place this in the fridge for an hour to speed up the process. Cut into small squares and serve or box as gifts. Cover tightly and store for up to 3 days at room temperature.
If you liked this recipe, do leave a comment and rating below. Looking for other easy candy recipes? Check out some of these:
Chocolate Covered Halva
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 ½ Cups Tahini (usually a 16 oz. jar of tahini)
- 1/3 Tsp. Kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp. Black and white sesame seeds, divided
- 1 ½ Cups Sugar
- 4 Oz. Bittersweet chocolate
- Flaky sea salt (Maldon is my preference)
Instructions
- Spray an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and then line it with parchment paper. Leave 2-inch overhang on both of the long sides.
- Mix the tahini (often the oil has separated from the sesame paste so stir this completely before adding to other ingredients), salt and 2 Tbsp. of the mixed sesame seeds in a medium bowl to combine. Put that to the side.
- Cook the sugar and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved (about 4-5 minutes). Increase the heat to medium high and fit with a candy thermometer. (See note below) Cook the syrup, brushing the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush as needed to dissolve the crystalized sugar that forms, until the thermometer reads 250 degrees exactly. (This can take anywhere from 7-10 minutes).
- As soon as it hits 250 degrees, immediately remove pan from stove and gradually add to the tahini in the bowl stirring constantly with a spatula. Continue to mix until the halva comes together into a smooth mass and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl (takes under a minute for this to happen). Don’t over mix this or the candy becomes crumbly. Immediately scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Let cool completely.
- You can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals stirring after each 30-second period until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
- Invert your set halva onto a wire rack sitting over a parchment lined baking sheet (to catch the dripping chocolate). Pour your chocolate over the halva and smooth it out so it completely covers the top and sides of the candy.
- Spring with the remaining sesame seeds and flaky salt. Cut into small squares and serve or box as gifts. Cover tightly and store for up to 3 days at room temperature.
