Helwa tat-Tork (Maltese tahini halva)
A crumbly, melting sesame halva made with just tahini and sugar syrup, as sold at Maltese feasts.
- Time25 min plus setting
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.25 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Line a small loaf tin with baking paper. Warm the tahini in a bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water for 5 minutes, so it is loose and runny.
5 min - 2
Put the sugar and water in a small, heavy pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil without stirring until it reaches 120 C on a sugar thermometer, about 8 minutes.
8 min - 3
Pour the hot syrup into the warm tahini, add the vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon for only 15 to 20 seconds until combined and starting to thicken. Do not over-stir or it turns oily.
- 4
Quickly scrape into the tin. For a marbled halva, dust with the cocoa and swirl once or twice with a knife.
- 5
Press down lightly and leave to set at room temperature for 4 hours, or overnight.
240 min - 6
Turn out and cut into small slices with a sharp knife. Keep wrapped in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.