Name: Semolina Helva (Irmik Helvasi)
Yield: To Serve 6
Cuisine: Turkey
Ingredients: 50 g/2 oz pine nuts or almonds; 150 g/5 oz butter; 150 g/5 oz semolina; 400 ml/14 fl oz milk; 225 g/7½ oz caster sugar

Preparation info

To Serve
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Nevin Halici's Turkish Cookbook

By Nevin Halici

Published 1989

About

Semolina helva is a popular dessert for weddings and large parties, and in the old days in Istanbul it was a favourite picnic dish along with cold lamb and dolmas of vine leaves.

The cooking time is rather lengthy but it will ensure a delicious helva. If it is cooked for less than three hours, it will not be as tasty.

Ingredients

150 g/5 oz butter
50 g/2

Method

Melt the butter in a pan and add the pine nuts or almonds and semolina. Cook on very low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until golden.

In another pan, heat the sugar and milk, stirring until the sugar melts. Bring to the boil and pour over the semolina mixture, stirring all the time. Cover the pan, and leave on very low heat until all the syrup is absorbed. When holes form