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Halvas Farsalon
Halvás Farsálon: Farsala's sticky caramelised halva with almonds, cut into glossy slabs
Farsala, a market town on the Thessalian plain, is famous across Greece for its halva: not the sesame kind but a chewy, translucent sweet of cornflour, sugar and butter, cooked until it caramelises, then baked until the top turns glassy amber. Shops sell it by the slab at fairs and on Sundays, and visitors take it home to Athens. Common mistake: stopping too early, when it's still pale and starchy — keep stirring until it pulls away from the pan in one golden mass. Chef's tip: use a heavy non-stick pan and a strong wooden spoon; it gets very thick, and you'll be glad of both.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and butter a 20 × 30 cm baking tin.
Step 2: Put 100 g of the 16 oz granulated sugar in a heavy non-stick pan over a medium heat and leave it, swirling now and then, until it melts into a light amber caramel.
6 minStep 3: Carefully pour in 3 ¼ cups water (it will spit) and stir until the caramel dissolves. Add the rest of 16 oz granulated sugar and stir until clear. Cool for 10 minutes.
12 minStep 4: Whisk 5 ½ oz cornflour into the warm syrup until smooth, then set the pan over a medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. It will turn cloudy, then very thick.
10 minStep 5: Add 4 oz unsalted butter a piece at a time and keep stirring and folding until the mixture is glossy, translucent and golden and comes away from the sides in one mass. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
15 minStep 6: Spread into the tin, smooth the top with a wet spatula and press in 2 ⅞ oz blanched almonds in rows.
Step 7: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is deep golden and blistered.
25 minStep 8: Cool completely, then cut into squares with an oiled knife. It keeps for a week, covered, at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does halvas Farsalon take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of granulated sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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