Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva) is a traditional dessert widely popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. This delicious pudding is enriched with butter & pine nuts and then soaked in hot syrup.
What makes this Turkish Semolina Halva dessert recipe so special is that it is extremely easy to make and can be prepared with a few ingredients.
Jump to:
Helva (or Halva) has an important place in Turkish culture.
It symbolizes good fortune and is made not only during religious holidays like Ramadan, but also during important life events like moving houses, births, deaths, or marriages.
It is still a tradition to make helva and share it with family and friends on such occasions.
What is Helva?
Helva or halva is a dessert that originates from the Ottomans usually made with semolina, flour, or tahini paste cooked with butter and nuts and then soaked in syrup.
This delicious dessert varies from region to region or even from family to family and is a good example of traditional Turkish cuisine.
Every cook has a slightly different way of flavoring their helva and the most common flavorings are vanilla, cinnamon, dried fruits & nuts, honey, and orange zest.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This delicious semolina halva is full of Mediterranean flavors, very easy to make, and has a great ending to our favorite Turkish meals.
- All you need is five basic ingredients you might already have in hand to make this special dessert.
- You can serve your Turkish Semolina Halva on every special occasion and at all kinds of dinners.
- Create your version by adding or excluding flavorings such as walnuts, honey, vanilla, coconut milk, lemon or orange zest, and currants.
- It is a crowd-pleaser, this recipe will give you around 6 to 8 portions!
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Semolina - "Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings (intermediate milling stage) of durum wheat mainly used in making couscous, pasta, and sweet puddings," says Wikipedia. I use coarse semolina which can be found in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon .
- Butter - Use good quality unsalted butter for the best results. Although you can substitute it with olive oil for a dairy-free / vegan version, butter is the most significant flavoring for this Turkish dessert.
- Milk - You can use semi-skimmed or full-fat milk. Replace it with water for a dairy-free / vegan version.
- Pine nuts - In Turkey, Irmik helvasi is traditionally made with pine nuts. However, you can use any nuts you prefer such as pistachio nuts or walnuts.
- Sugar - Both caster sugar and granulated sugar works perfectly for the syrup.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this silky and buttery semolina halva is very easy. However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, and sugar.
Place the pan on medium heat and stir it occasionally until the sugar dissolves, then remove it from the heat.
Place the butter in a wok or non-stick pan and put it on medium-low heat.
When the butter melts, add the pine nuts and sauté for a few minutes until it starts changing color.
Lower the heat, and add the semolina to the pan.
Cook the semolina for approximately 15 minutes, until it is golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning.
Allow the semolina to brown and get fragrant without burning it, or else the halva will become bitter.
When you notice the color of the semolina begins to brown, add milk and water and stir.
Cook the halva over low heat until the syrup is absorbed and the helva is thickened, then remove the pan from the heat.
Let the helva rest until all the liquid is absorbed and it's cool enough to handle.
When you're ready to serve it, you can shape your helva into quenelles using two spoons.
For an easier option, use a small bowl to shape them or simply spoon them into individual bowls.
Sprinkle some cinnamon on top before serving.
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Top Tip From the Chef
Making Irmik Helvası is very easy but you’ll need to stay near the stove to make sure the pine nuts and the semolina are cooked for just the right amount of time.
They should turn golden but not brown.
If the semolina burns, your pudding is destroyed, therefore you’ll have to start over.
How to Eat Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva)?
You can serve your helva warm or cold.
Sprinkle it with cinnamon and some more chopped nuts or serve it with a dollop of ice cream or Turkish Kaymak when it is still warm.
And of course, the same as Baklava Cheesecake and Kadaif Dessert - Turkish Tel Kadayif, this nutty and sweet dessert pairs perfectly with a nice cup of Turkish tea!
Recipe FAQs
You can store the leftover Irmik Helvasi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you want to store it for a longer period, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. Before serving, let it come to room temperature and fluff it up with a fork.
If the texture has become hard or dry, you can reheat it gently in a non-stick pan or in the microwave with a little bit of milk or water.
This recipe will give you 6 to 8 portions (depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have). Each portion of helva has 355 kcal., and each piece of quenelle has 105 kcal.
Yes, Irmik Helvasi can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. You can make it up to a day before serving, and it will still taste delicious.
Simply let it cool completely, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. Before serving, let it come to room temperature and fluff it up with a fork.
If the texture has become hard or dry, you can reheat it gently in a non-stick pan or in the microwave with a little bit of milk or water
Related Recipes
For more delicious dessert recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this scrumptious Turkish halva dessert as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Irmik Helvasi (Turkish Semolina Halva)
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 50 g pine nuts
- 200 g semolina (preferably coarse)
- 200 ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- 200 ml water
- 250 g caster or granulated sugar
- cinnamon (optional) (for dusting)
Instructions
- Place the pan on medium heat and stir it occasionally until the sugar dissolves, then remove it from the heat.
- Place the butter in a wok or non-stick pan and put it on medium-low heat.
- When the butter melts, add the pine nuts and sauté for a few minutes until it starts changing color.
- Lower the heat, add the semolina into the pan, and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until it is golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from burning.
- When you notice the color of the semolina begins to brown, add milk and water and stir. Allow the semolina to brown and get fragrant without burning it, or else the halva will become bitter.
- Cook the halva over low heat until the syrup is absorbed and the helva is thickened, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Let the helva rest until all the liquid is absorbed and it's cool enough to handle.
- When you're ready to serve it, you can shape your helva into quenelles using two spoons. For an easier option, use a small bowl to shape them or simply spoon them into individual bowls.
- Sprinkle some cinnamon and more nuts on top before serving.
Notes
- You can serve your Irmik Helva warm or cold.
- This recipe will give you 6 to 8 portions (depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have). Each helva portion has 355 kcal., and each piece of quenelle has 105 kcal.
- Ensure the pine nuts and the semolina are cooked for the right amount of time. They should turn golden but not brown. If the semolina burns, your pudding is destroyed, therefore you’ll have to start over.
- Create your version by adding or excluding flavorings such as walnuts, honey, vanilla, coconut milk, lemon or orange zest, and currants.
- Replace the milk with water and butter with olive oil for dairy-free / vegan version.
Nutrition
This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.
Dona
I’ve never made helva before but with your instructions it was so easy and delicious. Will be doing this dessert regularly.
Mina
Perfect recipe for semolina helva made it and turned out excellent.
Rona
This was very easy and is delicious.
Pam
I followed the instructions in the recipe and it turned out amazing!
Pam
This was so delicious and even enjoyed by my fussy kids! Thank you.
Jonathan
Followed directions exactly and it came out perfectly, Flaky texture and all.