Halva Cake with homemade halva

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade halva ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Grease parchment paper well and line a pan with it, so the paper comes up over the sides.

   Baking panParchment paper
2. 2
   Put the sugar and water in a small pot, bring to a boil and cook another 6–8 minutes, until the syrup is thick and stringy.

   Small saucepanStove

   💡On a candy thermometer, the syrup is ready at 121°C.
3. 3
   Beat the tahini in the mixer bowl with the paddle on low speed, raise to medium and pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl.

   Stand mixer

   💡The syrup is extremely hot: pour it slowly in a thin stream, and don't touch it.
4. 4
   Beat until the syrup is fully absorbed into the tahini, add the vanilla and beat another 30–40 seconds.

   Stand mixer
5. 5
   Transfer the mixture to the pan and press down well.

   Baking pan
6. 6
   Leave at room temperature 6 hours at least, until the halva sets, and slice diced.

   Knife

   💡Halva keeps in the fridge up to two weeks.

To assemble

1. 7
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and grease Round pan of 24 cm.

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 8
   Whip the soft butter with the sugar, until pale and fluffy.

   BowlHand mixerorStand mixerorWhisk

   💡Cream the butter soft, at room temperature: cold butter doesn't take in air, and melted butter doesn't hold it.
3. 9
   Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each until absorbed.

   💡One egg at a time, and only when the previous one is absorbed: that way the emulsion holds and the batter doesn't split into curds.
4. 10
   Add the tahini and vanilla and mix.
5. 11
   Add the flour and baking powder alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour, and Fold gently, just until no dry flour remains.

   Silicone spatula

   💡Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there's no dry flour: vigorous mixing of a batter with flour develops gluten.
6. 12
   Add the halva and Fold gently.

   Silicone spatula
7. 13
   Pour into the pan, and scatter the topping on top.

   Baking pan
8. 14
   Bake 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
9. 15
   Let the cake cool 10 minutes in the pan, take it out and serve at room temperature.