Chocolate Chip Pistachio Halva is a delightful confection that combines a bit of crunch with melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Getting just the right texture and level of sweetness is a bit of an art, but all the steps you need are covered here. The recipe comes together quickly and with relatively few ingredients.
Halva can be enjoyed any time of year, but like any kind of candy, it is especially popular during the holidays. Whatever occasion you decide to serve it at, it's sure to be a hit! As an added bonus, you can serve it to your vegan friends.
If you're looking for other treats to share at your next party table, Chocolate Chip Pistachio Halva would pair well with Kourabia (Armenian Shortbread Cookie) and Armenian Paklava. For additional appetizers, you might consider Tortellini Caprese Skewers or Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas.
Jump to:
Recipe Ingredients
Halva comes in as many variations and flavors as you can think of. This version contains chocolate chips, roasted pistachio nuts, and just a hint of orange blossom water. You'll find these add-ins complement the nutty flavor of tahini.
- Tahini: A paste made from ground sesame seeds.
- Sugar: Plain white table sugar works great.
- Water: A bit of water will help your sugar syrup come together without burning.
- Lemon Juice: The bright flavors of fresh lemon go almost undetected, but the acidity is helpful for getting a smooth sugar syrup.
- Orange Blossom Water: Just a few drops of this aromatic flavoring create a perfectly global-tasting treat.
- Pistachios: Add a beautiful pop of green color, an extra bit of crunch, and an addictive flavor you won't want to miss in your homemade candy.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Not too sweet, not too bitter, just right
- Salt: Just a bit to highlight all the flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Chocolate Chip Pistachio Halva
Follow these steps carefully to get the one-of-a-kind texture that halva is known for. You're aiming for texture somewhat akin to a Butterfinger candy bar, but slightly more dense.
- Step 1: In preparation for making halva, line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the tahini (slightly warmed or room temperature), orange blossom water, and salt. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Stir together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to dissolve, stop stirring or you can risk pushing crystallized pieces of sugar from the sides of the pan into your mixture. (Ask me how I know!)
- Step 2: Once the sugar syrup reaches 250ºF* on a candy thermometer, remove the syrup from the heat. Immediately, begin pouring the syrup into the tahini mixture, stirring at the same time with a wooden spoon or silicone whisk for about 10-15 seconds. Once the combined mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, stir in most of the roasted pistachio nuts.
- Step 3: Next, pour half the mixture into a loaf pan, let the mixture cool slightly, then sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Pour the remaining mixture into the pan (make sure it's still warm enough to be workable), then smooth over the top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and pistachio nuts. Cooling first prevents the chocolate chips from melting, giving the candy a cookie-dough appearance. Some people prefer to swirl the chocolate chips for a marbled effect, which you can also do.
- Step 4: Put the loaf pan into the refrigerator for 4-6 hours to set until firm. Then, slice into pieces to serve. You can serve halva at room temperature. But you may want to store it in a covered container in the refrigerator if not eating it all at once. Otherwise, the halva tends to "sweat" as it sits.
Hint*: If you live at a high altitude, you will need to lower your target boiling temperature for the sugar syrup. Deduct 2º F for every 1,000 feet above sea level that you live. For example, since I live in Lehi, Utah, which is about 4,500 ft above sea level, I cooked my syrup to between 241-242º F.
Substitutions
- Nut-free: Feel free to omit the nuts! You could substitute shelled pumpkin or sunflower seeds for a little bit of crunch.
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free chocolate chips instead of regular ones.
Variations
Here are a few variations you can try
- Replace orange blossom flower Water with vanilla extract or rose water
- Try butterscotch or peanut butter morsels instead of chocolate chips.
- Pistachios are widely used in Middle Eastern fare, but any other nut would be amazing too!
- For a chewier, stick-to-your-teeth texture, use ¾ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of honey instead of 1 cup of sugar. (After lots of recipe testing, I found I prefer sugar only, for halva that gently dissolves in your mouth.)
As mentioned earlier, there are many types of halva. One version known as farina halva omits the tahini completely. If you've tried both versions, we'd love to hear your comments below!
Equipment
Instead of lining a pan with parchment paper, you may find it easier to use a silicone bread pan or mini silicone pans. The halva should pop right out of the silicone pans for extra ease.
Storage
Put the loaf pan into the refrigerator for 4-6 hours to set until firm. Then, slice into pieces to serve. You can serve halva at room temperature. But you may want to store it in a covered container in the refrigerator if you're not eating it all at once. Otherwise, the halva tends to "sweat" as it sits. It also should store well in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Top Tip
Remember not to stir the sugar syrup while boiling once the sugar has dissolved (or even almost dissolved). If you learn this rule of thumb the hard way, and your syrup starts to crystallize, don't add it to your tahini mixture. Instead, you'll want to start fresh with a new batch of syrup. Otherwise, you'll never end up with the right results and will have made a much more costly mistake. (Sugar is much easier and cheaper to replace than having to start from scratch with more tahini!)
FAQ
Some recipes suggest a minimum of 2-3 hours to set, but I found that 4-6 hours or even overnight provides better results.
Halva has a high sugar content which would allow it to be stored in an airtight container at room temperature without spoilage for about 1 week. However, I like to store my halva in the refrigerator so that it doesn't get oily for up to 2 weeks. This may be a conservative time frame for refrigerated storage. Always look for signs of spoilage or rancidity if keeping it longer. Freezing halva is also possible; although I personally wouldn't recommend it since I think even the slightest change in texture would result in a less desirable outcome.
While this chocolate chip and pistachio halva has some nutritious components-namely pistachio nuts and paste made from ground sesame seeds (tahini), the high sugar content would make this more of a special treat. Bear in mind that pistachios and tahini would provide a little protein and extra fullness, so there are some redeeming qualities. And this recipe is not overly sweet with as high a content of sugar as many other recipes you might find. Try to enjoy it in moderation along with other nutritious foods! (Says me...your balanced dietitian.)
Related
Looking for other desserts like this? Try these:
Pairing
Other fun finger foods you can consider serving at your next gathering:
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pistachio Halva
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the tahini slightly if refrigerated. If opening a new jar at room temperature, the tahini should be adequately warm. Pour a cup of the tahini into a bowl, then mix in the orange blossom water and salt. Set aside. Also, line a loaf pan or small dish with parchment paper. You'll also want to toast your pistachio nuts if they aren't already roasted.
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat. Don't stir once the sugar dissolves (also important)! Let the syrup boil until it reaches 250°F (firm ball stage). Use a candy thermometer for accuracy and adjust your target temperature if you are at a high altitude (see notes).
- Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and pour it into the tahini with one hand while stirring briskly with a wooden spoon or silicone whisk - about 10-15 seconds max. (Since there is a lot to coordinate, having a helper on hand is nice!) Stop mixing when the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and begins to dull slightly.
- Quickly fold in about ¾ of the pistachio nuts (reserve enough to sprinkle on top). Then pour half of your mixture into the pan. Let the mixture cool so that it's still workable but not hot, and sprinkle half of the chocolate chips on top. Then add the second half of the tahini mixture to the top, smooth the top over, and then sprinkle with more chocolate chips and the remaining pistachio nuts. The idea here is to create a chocolate chip-studded look instead of a marbled look (unless that's what you prefer)! Finally, let the chocolate chip halva cool and set fully in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours before serving. I like to slice and serve the halva when it is back to room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. To prevent your candy from weeping, you can store it in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Leave a Reply