Halva Cookies – Vegan version

👨‍🍳 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 170°C (340°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   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 powdered sugar, to a smooth, pale mixture.

   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 flax egg, spread and vanilla and mix well.
4. 10
   Add the flour and salt and mix just until a dough forms.

   💡Mix in the flour only until a dough forms: long kneading develops gluten, and the cookies come out hard instead of crumbly.
5. 11
   Fold the halva into the dough gently.

   Silicone spatula
6. 12
   Roll into balls the size of a walnut and place on the baking sheet, spaced apart.

   Baking pan
7. 13
   Flatten each ball lightly with the palm of your hand.
8. 14
   Bake 14–16 minutes, until the edges are golden.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡Take the cookies out while they still look soft: they firm up as they cool, and long baking dries them out.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
9. 15
   Cool on a rack: the cookies firm up as they cool.

   Cooling rack