Semolina Helva

İrmik Helvası

 

Just a few simple ingredients, and yet such a Turkish classic. Semolina Helva is a buttery, nutty favourite loved all over the country. It’s a great dessert to learn: you can pull the ingredients from your pantry and make it at a moment’s notice for unexpected visitors.

 

80g         butter

125g       semolina

2 tbsp    pine nuts

150g       sugar

250ml    milk

 

1. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the semolina and the pine nuts, and stir constantly until the semolina turns from a golden yellow to a light tan colour (use leftover uncooked semolina as a colour comparison).

 

2. Add half of the sugar to the milk and mix well. Then add the milk mixture to the pan, stirring constantly until the milk is absorbed and the mix becomes more like a stiffer paste in consistency.

 

3. Add the rest of the sugar and stir well. Using an ice cream scoop or spoons, spoon out helva into ball shapes, two per plate. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

 

Serves 4