Author Notes
In English, "halawa" is usually written "halva," although the origin of the word is the Arabic "halawa," meaning sweetness. There are several types of halawa eaten throughout the world, mainly in the Middle East and Africa, but the main type of halawa we use in Egypt is the "halawa tahineya," which is made from a paste of ground sesame seeds. These truffles are small bite-size sweets to serve alongside coffee or tea after a meal. They are very sweet, so one or two per person would probably do the job.
This recipe comes from my book Cairo Kitchen (Hardie Grant, 2015). —Suzanne Zeidy
Ingredients
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200 grams
halawa (also spelled halva)
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40 grams
halawa spread (also spelled halva)
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100 grams
sesame seeds
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100 grams
cocoa
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100 grams
pistachios, finely chopped
Directions
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In a bowl, mix together both kinds of halawa with a spoon until well combined.
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With your hands, form the halawa into small balls, the size of hazelnuts, and place on a plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
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Place the sesame seeds, cocoa, and chopped pistachios in three separate bowls. Dip 1/3 of the halawa balls in one type of topping and toss around to make sure they are fully and evenly covered. Remove carefully and place on a small platter.
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Repeat with each topping and then refrigerate the balls until you are ready to serve.
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Serve as you would chocolates with coffee or tea.
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