Hello everyone who visits!!

Who doesn't love to eat something tasty? It is unlikely that there will be such))) For me, the word "tasty" is associated with the word "sweet". I'm ready to make chocolates and pies all day... if I allowed myself to do it)) Unfortunately, my figure will not thank me for such a mockery, and all these sweets are not useful. It can be difficult to find some kind of yummy, so that also with an adequate composition.

As an alternative to sweets, I sometimes buy nuts or dried fruits at a local shop. On my last trip there, I came across a novelty - Uzbek halva. Taste - chocolate-creamy with pistachios. Naturally, I could not pass by))) So what kind of delicacy is this? Now let's figure it out!

Where did you buy? At a local oriental sweet shop. As an alternative, on the site you can find many types of Uzbek halva with delivery in Russia.

What is the price? 65 UAH / 142 rubles for 500 gr.

Package

I bought halva in a packaged form of 500g. It was a firmly closed transparent plastic container, which made me very happy - the product did not weather in the window, dust did not sit on it or something worse.

On top of the container was a label saying that I really had Uzbek halva in front of me, as well as the composition of the product.

What's in the composition?

I was very impressed with the composition even when I bought it:

Cream, water, honey, cedar oil, almonds, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, chocolate.

Halva is made from completely natural ingredients. And noticed? - It doesn't even contain sugar! Girls who follow the figure will understand my delight))

Consistency, smell

The consistency of the pieces of halva is quite dense, the usual sunflower halva is looser and crumbles more. When breaking, the plasticity of the mass is felt, which is a bit like plasticine.

Halva keeps its shape perfectly, when breaking a piece we get two halves, while there are practically no small crumbs (remember what would happen to our usual halva, if you try to break it - all hands, the whole table, and if you were completely unlucky, then the floor would be in crumbs). This property of the Uzbek halva made me very happy, you can safely eat it with your hands and not worry about the cleanliness of your hands and surrounding objects.

Smell I would call creamy chocolate with hints of honey and nuts. Such an interesting mix, without one pronounced note.

Color. As you can see, the halva is two-colored. The dairy part has a cream shade, the chocolate part has a chocolate shade.

Trying..

When I read the composition for the first time and saw honey there, I was afraid that it would be very noticeable in halva. And I don’t like it very much, I don’t like this product at all, although I understand that it is very useful. But no ... to my happiness, honey is not felt at all. Thanks to him, there is a pleasant sweetness in halva, but there is no characteristic aftertaste.

What else is there in the taste of Uzbek halva, except for sweetness? Creamy chocolate notes are felt, and pistachios are also clearly felt - they are visible to the naked eye, they are finely detailed and densely distributed over the halva.

On top of the pieces of halva are nuts - cashews or almonds, they also add their own notes to the overall taste.

Speaking of nuts on top))) When I first opened the box with halva, I immediately saw THEM - nuts!!! And involuntarily, a hand reached out to them in order to dig them out of a piece of halva and eat it)) But it wasn’t there - as it turned out, the nuts there weren’t whole at all, but only their small pieces. For decoration, so to speak. Bummer comrades)))

For comparison, I can say that the Uzbek halva reminiscent of sweet iris, which was sold in my childhood - not viscous toffee-sweets, but such a brown toffee in the form of tiles. Only Uzbek halva is less sweet, it still has a mixture of delicious nuts and healthy cedar oil with honey.

Great as a nice dessert for tea, especially in the current cool weather outside the window!

☆☆☆ Let's draw conclusions ☆☆☆

Uzbek milk chocolate halva has the following advantages:

• natural ingredients with no sugar in the composition
• original pleasant taste
• acceptable price

Disadvantages - you can eat a lot))) very tasty.

Bon appetit everyone!!

And for lovers of interesting sweet desserts, I suggest looking into a couple more of my reviews:

• about Turkish Halva tahini (sesame) with cocoa
• o Pishmaniye (or Filamentous Halva) - an unusual and delicious Turkish sweet.

Kitchens have long been valued all over the world. Oriental recipes famous for their naturalness and simple set products. You will not find any exquisite troubles in the recipes and cooking processes of such dishes. Many Uzbeks have been on Russian tables for a long time: plov, lagman, manti, samsa, fried dumplings and much more. But Uzbek sweets are especially popular. Recipes with photos can be found in our article.

Assortment of Uzbekistan sweets

The reception of guests in Russia and Uzbekistan, as well as the schedule by which dishes appear on the festive table, are slightly different. If in Russia we first eat the first hot dishes, then salads and only then sweets, then in Uzbekistan the opposite is true. Here guests are greeted with tea and Uzbek sweets, and then hot dishes, salads and snacks are served.

The range of oriental sweets is quite extensive. But mainly on the tables in Uzbekistan there are always dishes from nuts, sweets home cooking, halva, dried fruits and sweet cakes. But first things first.

Parvarda

As we have said, homemade sweets own cooking- a favorite delicacy in the East. Parvarda - Uzbek sweets, reminiscent of our usual caramel. In shape, they resemble pads, most often white in color (since special flour dressing is used).

Ingredients:

• one glass of sugar;
• two glasses of water;
• half a glass of flour;
• one lemon.

Cooking process

Parvarda and other delicacies are national Uzbek sweets. The recipes for this dish are known to all oriental men. If the Russian cuisine is dominated by a woman, then here, on the contrary, desserts and meat are always prepared by men.

So, to prepare these homemade sweets, you need to take large saucepan, preferably with non-stick coating. Pour a glass of sugar there and add water in the amount indicated in the recipe. Prepare regular sugar syrup. Gradually bring the syrup to a boil, stir occasionally, wait for the sugar to completely disappear from sight. Then you can squeeze the lemon juice through a sieve.

A very important aspect of making these sweets is not to overcook the syrup. It should be viscous in consistency, in color - reminiscent of refined sunflower oil. It remains only to cool the caramel.

This is done with a bowl of cold water and butter. How? Very simple. First, pour ice water into one bowl, grease the other with butter and pour hot caramel into it. We put one dish in another and begin to interfere. Thanks to the oil, the mass will not stick to the walls of the dishes, and due to the temperature difference, the caramel will quickly cool down, which is what we are trying to achieve.

When the consistency resembles pliable plasticine, you can proceed to the following manipulations. Sprinkle some flour on a cutting board. Roll a lump out of our "plasticine" and make a small hole inside. Parvarda - an unusual form of Uzbek sweets. The photo confirms this. But how do you get this shape? We explain.

When you have made a ring inside, you need to stretch the caramel dough so that a figure eight is formed. Then we repeat the manipulations, each time we make eights and mix them together. As a rule, this is done at least twenty times.

As a result, you should get sweet noodles. It must be cut into square pieces-pillows and sprinkled on top with a small amount of flour. After four to six hours, the sweetness is ready.

Halva

Halva is another dish of Uzbek cuisine, which is universally loved by those with a sweet tooth. The ingredients that are used in cooking are very simple and affordable.

Necessary:

• 120 grams of flour.
• Half a liter of milk.
• Ghee - 125 grams.
• 200 gr. Sahara.
• Two tables. spoons of sesame seeds.
• Half a glass of shelled walnuts.

Cooking process

To prepare such Uzbek sweets for tea, you must first prepare the flour for work. We put it on a wide flat frying pan and heat it up with the addition. When it acquires a pleasant brown tint, you can proceed to further mixing the ingredients.

While your flour is fried, take and mix milk and sugar in a separate bowl. When the flour is ready, the sugar will have time to completely dissolve. Add the flour mixture in a thin stream. We mix. The mass should stand on fire for about fifteen minutes.

Then take the pan off the heat. Let the mass cool down a bit. When it is already cool enough, you can start forming balls. As a rule, halva is made in the form of large briquettes. If you do for yourself and not for the big holiday table, then you can (for ease of consumption) form small balls.

Each such ball of halva should be thoroughly dipped in a topping consisting of crushed walnuts and sesame seeds. We serve the dish on the table. We brew green tea and enjoy.

Pashmak

Required products:

• One kilogram of granulated sugar.
• Butter - 50 grams.
• Juice of half a lemon or one teaspoon of citric acid.
• Glass of water.

Cooking process

As you can see, again we use the simplest and most affordable set of products to prepare national Uzbek sweets. Pashmak is a sugar halva, which is not only very sweet and loved by children, but also useful, helping in the treatment of diseases of the bronchi and the entire respiratory system.

Like many other sweets, pashmak is prepared on the basis of sugar syrup (caramel). We mix sugar and water, boil the syrup to a caramel consistency. Then pour the liquid caramel mass onto a baking sheet or cutting board and stretch it until white threads appear.

At this time, you should already have flour on the stove. Fry the flour, as in the previous recipe, until Brown color. Then the caramel mass should be dipped in flour and again stretched into the thinnest threads. From the finished caramel noodles we make small sausages and cut them into cubes.

Nishalda

But not all dishes of this cuisine are prepared in minutes. Sometimes you have to make every effort and patience to cook traditional Uzbek sweets. We will provide photos with names, we will try to describe the cooking process as carefully as possible, but whether you undertake such an experiment is up to you.

If you decide to spend your time, then let's start cooking another sweet Uzbek food. In appearance, nishalda looks like a very thick white sour cream. The basis of this recipe will be egg whites and sugar syrup.

Required set of products:

• 3 kg of sugar.
• 2.5 liters of water.
• 8 eggs.
• 7 teaspoons of citric acid.
• Three roots of etmak.

Cooking process

Let's make a small digression and talk about what an etmak root is. Let's say right away that without it, it's not even worth starting to cook nishalda, as they say, it contains all the salt.

So, etmak is what many people call it. He is a tumbleweed, he is also the root of the paniculata. Somewhere in Tashkent there will be absolutely no problems with buying such a product, it is sold at any bazaar, and it is inexpensive. But here in Russia it is not so easy to find an etmak. What to do? What to replace?

Approximately the same amount of substances contained in etmak is found in licorice root or licorice root. You can replace the root with gelatin or agar-agar. But beneficial features, which this dessert has due to the content of etmak, will, unfortunately, be lost when replaced with other products.

Let's get started. If you still found the roots of etmak, then grind them and fill them with water. We put on a slow fire and cook for about two hours. If this ingredient is not present, then we brew licorice root (it is sold in any pharmacy) and insist it for about an hour.

During this time, you will need to work with proteins. Proteins need to be whipped for a long time. If you have helpers, then ask them to be in charge of proteins while you cook sugar syrup.

Sugar syrup is made traditional recipe(we described it a little higher). When the syrup is almost ready, add to it citric acid. Cook for a couple more minutes and remove from heat.

We turn to mixing the finished ingredients. While the process of whipping the proteins is in progress, add syrup to them in a thin stream, then a decoction of the root. The mass should be quite thick and incredibly white. It is stored in the refrigerator. Served with cakes and just for tea.

Brushwood

This dish is considered festive. But in Russia, such Uzbek sweets are great for an afternoon snack, for breakfast, and just for tea gatherings. Experienced housewives It is advised to cook brushwood using butter and good fat milk.

Ingredients:

• Two eggs.
• 4 tbsp. spoons of sugar.
• 100 grams of milk.
• 50 grams of butter.
• Two glasses of flour.
• Vegetable oil - a glass.

Cooking process

Look at the list of products. That's what it's famous for Uzbek cuisine. The recipes for sweets here consist of such simple and understandable components that even the hostess who hardly touches the preparation of complex dishes can find them in her refrigerator.

So, mix flour and eggs. In a separate bowl, dissolve the sugar in butter. It can be preheated in a water bath or in microwave oven. Pour the creamy mass into the dough and mix well.

Many housewives believe that good brushwood is best made from puff pastry. But not Uzbek sweets. The recipes here are simple, easy and do not require any special culinary delights. The dough for brushwood is made quickly and easily, as you can see.

When the dough is well mixed, form a ball out of it. Roll out quite thinly and cut into squares or rectangles. In the center of each geometric figure, we make an incision and stretch the tip of the dough through the resulting hole.

Now it remains only to fry the brushwood to a crunch on vegetable oil. You can sprinkle it with powdered sugar before serving, or you can simply serve it with jam, sweet berry syrup, jam, etc.

Sherbets

Sherbets are also popular Uzbek sweets. Recipes are based on the use of berry or fruit decoctions. Delicious sherbets are made from pomegranate and grape, apricot and strawberry, lemon and cherry juices.

For cooking you will need:

• One glass of sugar.
• Two glasses of water.
• One kilogram of your chosen fruits or berries.

Cooking process

Prepare the sherbet Uzbek recipe very simple. You will need to boil the sugar syrup. How this is done, we have already described more than once above. Everything according to the standard recipe.

Squeezed fruit or berry juice is added to the hot syrup. Let it cool slightly and pour into molds or glasses. The national sweet dish of Uzbekistan is ready.

Having become acquainted with what halva is made of, you will be able to expand your knowledge in the matter of creating your favorite treat and learn about the impressive beneficial properties of the product. Eastern sweetness, especially if you cook it with your own hands, it will become a worthy dessert for a cozy home tea party.

Why is halva useful?

Halva, the benefits and harms to the body of which are due to the elements and vitamins contained in the base component, can become not only a delicious dessert for the sweet tooth, but also a dish that has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole.

1. Sunflower sweetness is a source of B vitamins, thanks to which it has a beneficial effect on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The content of all kinds of proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins E, D is highly valued in the product.
2. Walnut or peanut halva, in addition to the high content of vitamins PP, D, B2 and B6, is a source of folic acid, promotes cell regeneration and rejuvenation.
3. Sesame and tahini halva is an excellent antioxidant and a source of many vitamins and elements that together help slow down the growth of cancer cells and prevent their formation. By using sweetness, it will be possible to strengthen the body, fill it with energy.
4. Any kind of halva is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus, exacerbations of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and obesity.

What is halva made of?

Halva, the composition of which may vary depending on which product is taken as the basis for the preparation of sweets, is prepared from natural products. With the right technology and without the addition of preservatives oriental delicacy perfectly stored for up to two months.

1. Peeled sunflower seeds, nuts or sesame seeds are used as a basic component to create a dessert.
2. Another constant ingredient used to make halvah is sugar, honey or caramel.
3. To give the base of the delicacy the desired texture and color, soap root extract is added to it.

sunflower halva

Homemade halva will undoubtedly turn out tastier and healthier than purchased counterparts. It does not contain preservatives, various stabilizers and other harmful impurities that are often added to the industrial product. Compound sunflower halva homemade is exceptionally simple and accessible to everyone.

Ingredients:

• peeled sunflower seeds - 0.5 kg;
• flour - 0.5 cups;
• sugar - 1 cup;
• water - 75 ml;
• oil - 150 ml.

Cooking

1. The seeds are roasted in a dry frying pan until creamy.
2. Transfer the seeds to a blender and grind to a soft puree.
3. The flour is sautéed in the same pan until creamy, poured into the crushed seeds and pierced again with a blender.
4. Caramel-colored syrup is made from water and sugar.
5. Oil is poured into the caramel in a thin stream, after which the mixture of seeds and flour is mixed in.
6. Pour the mass into a mold, allow to cool and freeze in the refrigerator.

Tahini halva - what is it made of?

Halva, the recipe of which will be described below, is prepared from peeled sesame seeds, which are pre-soaked in boiling water for at least two hours. For the final cleaning, the seeds are washed in a saline solution, due to which the shell settles to the bottom, and the kernels float to the surface, after which they are collected, washed and roasted. It will be possible to avoid such a process, which is difficult to perform at home, by using ready-made tahini paste.

Ingredients:

• tahini paste - 4.5 tbsp. spoons;
• honey - 3 tbsp. spoons.

Cooking

1. Combine honey and tahini paste, mix.
2. We shift the mass into a mold, send it to the refrigerator for several hours.
3. After it hardens, it is cut into portions, optionally sprinkled with sesame seeds and nuts.

Indian halva

The following recommendations are for those who wish to learn how to make halva by Indian recipe. This technology differs from any usual eastern one and is performed with semolina or with the addition of grated carrots, boiled with milk to a homogeneous paste-like mass. Except nutmeg sweetness is often seasoned with cardamom and other spices.

Ingredients:

• semolina - 250 g;
• milk - 750 ml;
• sugar - 300 g;
• butter - 200 g;
• raisins - 70 g;
• orange peel - 2 teaspoons;
• orange juice - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• nutmeg - 0.5 tsp;
• walnuts or cashews - to taste.

Cooking

1. Melt the sugar in a heavy-bottomed container and slowly pour in the boiling milk.
2. Warm the mixture until the crystals dissolve, add orange zest and juice, raisins and nutmeg.
3. Fry the semolina in oil for 15 minutes, transfer to the milk mixture.
4. Allow the mass over low heat, stirring until moisture is absorbed, remove from heat, allow to cool slightly.

Uzbek halva - recipe

Further about what Uzbek housewives make halva. Basic component in this case, it is flour, which is initially sautéed in melted butter, and then brewed with milk and heated to density and plasticity. As a breading for balls formed from the resulting mass, you can use sesame seeds or chopped nuts.

Ingredients:

• flour - 130 g;
• milk - 500 ml;
• sugar - 200 g;
• melted butter - 130 g;

• walnuts and toasted sesame seeds.

Cooking

1. Melted butter is heated in a saucepan, flour is added, sautéed until creamy.
2. Heat milk to a boil, add sugar, pour into a container with flour, stirring.
3. Allow the mass for 15 minutes, allow to cool slightly, roll the balls.
4. Before serving, it is sprinkled or dipped in sesame seeds or nuts.

sesame halva

Oriental halva made from sesame seeds will be appreciated by the sweet tooth. The recipe can be performed without adding cocoa, replacing it with a portion of flour or milk powder. The final result will depend entirely on the degree of grinding of sesame seeds and on whether the grains were fried before use.

Ingredients:

• sesame - 300 g;
• dry milk - 200 g;
• sugar - 100 g;
• butter - 200 g;
• cocoa - 2 tbsp. spoons.

Cooking

1. Sesame seeds are dried if desired and browned a little in a dry frying pan, after which they are ground in a coffee grinder or blender.
2. Melt the butter, add the sesame mass, heat, stirring, cool.
3. Milk, sugar and cocoa are combined in a bowl, sesame seeds and butter are added, mixed, transferred to a mold and tamped.
4. Once chilled in the refrigerator, it will be ready for tasting.

Turkish halva

Homemade halva, the recipe of which will be presented next, is one of the most popular desserts in Turkish cuisine. Semolina sweet is being prepared with the addition of Turkish mastic, which will give the dish a characteristic spicy taste and aroma. It is impossible to replace the additive with anything, if one was not available, it is better to prepare a delicacy without her participation.

Ingredients:

• semolina - 500 g;
• milk - 1 l;
• sugar - 500 g;
• butter and margarine - 130 g each;
• Turkish mastic - 3 pcs.;
• pine nuts - 70 g.

Cooking

1. Melt butter and margarine, add semolina and nuts, fry for 30-40 minutes until pinkish.
2. Milk is boiled with the addition of sugar and mastic, poured into semolina with nuts, heated for a couple of minutes, stirring.
3. Leave sweetness under the lid for 40 minutes, after which it is served with cinnamon, ice cream or pistachio flour.

Halva in chocolate

A true delight for those with a sweet tooth or those who have a special reverence for chocolate will be chocolate halva chocolate icing. In this case, the basis of the dessert is roasted peanuts until the aroma appears, which can be replaced with other nuts or seeds if desired.

Ingredients:

• peanuts - 300 g;
• cocoa butter - 50 g;
• honey - 50 g;
• sugar - 40 g;
• chocolate - 150 g.

Cooking

1. Roast peanuts, grind in a blender, add honey, oil, mix and lay out in molds.
2. Send blanks to the refrigerator until solidified.
3. Melt chocolate, dip halva in it, let it freeze on parchment in the cold.

Peanut halva

Like any, a peanut treat is incredibly tasty, satisfying and nutritious. Before use, nuts must be fried in a dry frying pan or in the oven, after which they are peeled, which can give the delicacy unwanted bitterness. Vanilla sugar can be replaced with vanilla or another additive of your choice.

Ingredients:

• peanuts - 2 cups;
• sugar - 200 g;
• flour - 250 g;
• water - 1/3 cup;
• vanilla sugar - 1 package;
• oil - 1 cup.

Cooking

1. The flour is sautéed until creamy in a dry frying pan.
2. Grind peanuts in a blender, mix with flour, butter and vanilla.
3. Boil water with sugar, pour caramel syrup to peanuts with flour, stir, transfer to a form with parchment, leave under pressure to harden.

Samarkand halva - recipe

The following recipe will help you find out what Samarkand halva is made of. The main ingredients in this case are walnuts or any other nuts and fried flour. Optionally, the composition is supplemented with sesame seeds or other components to enhance the taste, filling it with a new aroma and piquancy.

Ingredients:

• walnuts - 250 g;
• sugar - 250 g;
• water - 2 glasses;
• flour - 250 g;
• sesame and butter - 100 g each;
• vanilla sugar - 1 package.

Cooking

1. Syrup of medium density is boiled from water and sugar, boiled for 7-8 minutes, stirring.
2. The mass is allowed to cool slightly, after which chopped nuts, sesame seeds, butter, vanillin and sautéed flour are added.
3. Boil the base until thickened, transfer to a form with parchment.
4. Ready Samarkand halva is cut into portions and served with tea.

Halva from flour

Even just flour will turn out delicious treat with which you can treat yourself and your family over a cup of tea. The dessert is complemented with oven-dried walnuts or any other nuts that are mixed into the base or sprinkled with sweets on top. For flavor, you can add a little vanilla to the composition.

Ingredients:

• powdered sugar - 300 g;
• melted butter - 180 g;
• flour - 0.5 kg;
• nuts - to taste.

Cooking

1. Heat the oil, add flour in portions, fry until a nutty taste.
2. interfere powdered sugar, warm up a little more and transfer to a form with parchment, adding nuts.
3. Still warm flour halva is cut into portions and served at the table.

pistachio halva

Incredibly appetizing and exquisite, homemade halvah from pistachios is obtained. The pleasant nutty taste and unusual color of the dessert will satisfy the needs of every picky eater with a sweet tooth. Before serving, the dessert is well cooled in the refrigerator and only then cut into portions.

Travelers took it with pleasure with them on long journeys, they simply needed it. Firstly, halvah is very high in calories, quickly satisfies hunger, in addition, a very small piece was enough for the traveler for a whole week, and secondly, it is able not to deteriorate for a long time. In Persia, this dessert was generally endowed with magical properties. Halva was first brought to Russia in the era of the Crusades. Our knights were very interested in the amazing delicacy that the Eastern Saracens dabbled in (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saracens). The confectioners who made halva were called kandalatchi. The profession of kandalatchi and today stands apart from other cooking professions, and all because the manufacture of halva requires not only special training, but also the necessary skills. Unfortunately, today halvah is made by hand only in three countries: Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey. Of course, the halva created by the kandalatches of the mentioned countries is the best in terms of taste and quality. How do real masters prepare this dessert?

Halva production

Let's see what halva is made of? It all starts with seeds. Usually they are dried with hot air. According to an old recipe, peeled seeds must be roasted, and only on a cast-iron brazier. Only then will the seeds have a golden crust and a unique smell. It is important to constantly stir the seeds, if they burn, the halva will be bitter. During frying, almost all moisture is evaporated from sunflower seeds. But the quantity healthy oils does not decrease. In order for the grains to be well ground, the amount of moisture in them should be no more than 2%. Each seed is half oil. The candalatches send the roasted seeds to an excouter, which carefully grinds the kernels, turning them into a protein mass. The oily paste made from crushed seeds is called halvin. This is the basis of an old recipe. The paste is ground several times until it becomes liquid, like condensed milk. Then, following an old recipe, the craftsmen add a little vanilla. Next, prepare the caramel. First, a syrup is made from water, sugar and molasses. Ready sugar syrup should be thick and viscous. To turn the sweet mass into caramel, a decoction of the soap root is added to it. The roots of this Mediterranean plant contain substances - saponins, which, when shaken, form a thick white foam. To prepare halva, a decoction of soapwort is mixed with sugar syrup and shaken into a firm foam. The result is a snow-white caramel. Then the magic begins. Caramel is combined with halvin. Both mixing ingredients are very liquid. How does the dessert become hard and crumbly? This is where the magic lies. Future halva is kneaded with oars, as was done in the East many centuries ago. The trick is to gently pull out the strands of caramel while kneading. One thread can stretch up to 10 meters. Only with such thorough kneading will the halvah turn out to be airy and fibrous. If the mass was stirred by a mixer, it would break the fragile caramel threads, making the dessert crumbly like sand. That is, if mechanisms are used in the manufacture of halva, a real, proper delicacy will never work. After kneading, the halva is completely ready. Now it can be packaged in boxes. Chocolate halva is also kneaded by hand. It is important not to overdo it here, otherwise the sweetness will turn out not to be airy, but hard.

How to choose the right halva

In our country now, unfortunately, halva is not made by hand. And when industrial production halva quality suffers greatly, halva quickly releases fat to the surface and goes rancid, or, conversely, cracks and crumbles. In addition, our manufacturers, as you know, sin by adding all sorts of components to it: flavors, sweeteners and thickeners, replacing them with natural sugar and honey. These substances are not included at all. old recipes and, of course, worsen taste qualities product and its structure. Therefore, when buying, you must definitely read the composition of halva. The package should only list seeds or nuts, sugar or honey, a foaming agent (soap or licorice root), molasses and vanillin. Halva should have a layered fibrous structure, not crumble and be moderately moist. Well, if the packaging is transparent, then the buyer will be able to see what quality the product is offered to him. If drops of fat are visible inside the package, it means that either the technological process or the storage conditions of the halva were violated. It happens that halva literally floats with a puddle of fat and its traces remain on the store shelf. This is generally unacceptable.

White caramel icicles, which can be seen on the break of halva, also speak of its low quality and violation technological process. If you can clearly see a dark coating on a piece of halva, then its shelf life is almost over. The shelf life of a loose treat is a little over two months. If it is glazed with chocolate or packed using vacuum technology, then this period can be extended to six months. Also, halva should not contain particles of seed husks or even nuts. This can only speak of the low quality of the product, which is also unsafe to give to children.

Properties and benefits of halva

Halva, it turns out, has not only a wonderful taste that melts in your mouth, but also wonderful beneficial properties that carry real value. To begin with, it must be said that a good halva contains only natural ingredients, so it can be safely given to children.

Why is halva useful?

It contains a large number of vegetable fats. But not only them. Halva is rich in fatty acids, proteins and dietary fiber. It contains a significant content of minerals necessary for a person: these are potassium, and zinc, and copper, and iron, as well as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. This healthy dessert has rejuvenating properties. All the benefits of halva come down to the benefits of the products from which it is made. After all, seeds or nuts do not lose their properties when dried and crushed. Halva, containing several components, only multiplies these properties.

The main benefit of any natural halva is the polyunsaturated fatty acids of plant origin contained in it. These are substances such as linoleic, linolenic, oleic and other valuable acids. It also contains a lot of protein, which contains useful proteins and amino acids. And, of course, vitamins and minerals that this product is rich in. In general, depending on what raw materials halva is made of, its useful properties will change. We will talk about this in more detail when we consider its various varieties.

The use of halva

Is it possible for breastfeeding halvah?

Of course, breastfeeding mothers are very strict about their diet. And rightly so, because what they eat should not harm the newborn baby. But, if the question arises whether halva can be given to a nursing mother, then the answer to it will most likely be positive.

A young mother, of course, wants something sweet and tasty, but much is not allowed, for example, it is not recommended to eat chocolate. But halva, made from natural products, may well be an acceptable product for feeding. Many mothers eat it from the very first days after the birth of the baby. In some eastern countries, halva is even indicated for breastfeeding.

Let's remember what halva is made of? Main component are nuts or seeds. Both are non-allergenic and should not cause harm. In any case, if there is a choice between a cake, candy or halva, then it is better to give preference to halva.

On the other hand, due to high calorie product, its use can adversely affect digestion. It is important to know here that if the sweetness is poorly digested by the mother, then it will certainly cause an undesirable reaction in the child, for example, bloating.

Therefore, you need to follow the golden rule of all nursing mothers. Halva, like any other product, should be introduced gradually, starting with a small piece. If the child did not react very well to sunflower halva, then you can try another one, for example, peanut or tahini. Fortunately, there are more than a dozen varieties of halva and there are plenty to choose from. The main thing is to monitor the naturalness of the composition and the expiration date. Over time, it will be possible to choose for yourself the manufacturer whose product is well suited for both mother and child. It’s great if the mother has time to make this choice before the birth. To do this, you just need to eat a small piece of halva on an empty stomach, if it does not cause any pain or heaviness, then during feeding it will most likely be eaten without fear.

Is halva harmful?

Halva can carry not only benefits, but also harm. The harm of halva is primarily in its calorie content and increased sweetness. The high sugar content immediately makes it an unacceptable product for people suffering from diabetes. The high calorie content of halva creates serious restrictions in its use for overweight people. It may be contraindicated for those who have a tendency to allergies. Since this is a fatty product, it should not be consumed in large quantities by those who have problems with the pancreas or liver.

Due to the high calorie content of this dessert, nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 30 g of treats per day. The next aspect is the properties of the products underlying the halva. Sunflower seeds can accumulate such a harmless substance as cadmium over time. Therefore, it is better to use only fresh halvah, since a product that has lain for a long time can be harmful. Peanut halvah may contain the dangerous poison aflatoxin, so it is best to refrain from offering it to children. In addition, unscrupulous manufacturers can add substances containing genetically modified organisms to tahini or sesame halvah, which, most likely, is not useful for humans.

Types of halva

• Sunflower halva. The most popular halva in our country is, of course, sunflower halva. We all know her since childhood and are loved by many. It is made from sunflower seeds. Its color should be about the same as the peeled seeds themselves. The benefits of sunflower halva are obvious. Its use can improve blood circulation, have a positive effect on the state of digestion in general, improve the functioning of the nervous system due to the rich content of B vitamins. Vitamins of this group can suppress depression and fight insomnia, they help even with such unpleasant ailments as acne and dandruff. Halva in sufficient quantities contains another vitamin useful for humans - vitamin D. Its content helps the body absorb calcium, we can say that it is simply necessary for this. What is calcium for our body? These are strong bones and teeth, nails and hair. Vitamin E contained in the dessert helps the body to stop the aging process. The benefit of sunflower halva lies in the fact that the seeds themselves are an excellent means of preventing such a formidable disease as myocardial infarction. Sunflower seeds are also able to have a beneficial effect on the normal functioning of the biliary tract and liver. They have another remarkable property - they are able to restrain the development of tumor processes in various organs such as the intestines, mammary glands, lungs, ovaries and human skin.
• Peanut halva. As the name implies, this is halva, which is obtained from peanuts. It differs in color from sunflower and should have a creamy hue. Peanuts are no less useful for the human body than sunflower seeds. The main advantage of peanuts is that they are incredibly rich in vitamin B9 or, as it is also called, folic acid. This vitamin is especially necessary for pregnant women, but not only for them. Among the advantages of folic acid is the ability to renew human cells, thereby slowing down the aging process. Other vitamins and microelements that are part of peanuts make our nervous system work better, correct attention, and strengthen memory. Its beneficial effect on the body can not be overestimated, peanuts improve the functioning of the liver, heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole. It also removes free radicals well and inhibits the development of tumors.
• Sesame or tahini halva. In Turkey, halva is made from sesame seeds. It is called sesame or tahini halva. This halva is also called Turkish halva, since it comes from this country and it is there that it is made best. Sesame halva is much lighter than sunflower halva, it has a light gray hue, in addition, it is endowed with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Sesame is another storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Most of all it contains vitamin A, and this is vision, beautiful skin and the state of our immunity in general. Sesame is rich in zinc. This substance is necessary to have healthy hair and nails. Another valuable trace element is iron, which has a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood. Phosphorus in sesame improves brain function. Sesame seeds contribute to the normal functioning of the respiratory system, they also have anti-carcinogenic properties. They also have another, more recently discovered advantage. They are able to regulate oxygen metabolism, which helps cell renewal and enables the body to better recover from stress and stress. Sesame is also able to fight the effects of the negative effects of alcohol on the body and lower cholesterol levels.
• Nut halva. Not only peanut kernels are used as raw materials for the manufacture of nut halva. Other nuts are often taken as a basis, such as cashews, Walnut, almonds, pistachios. Nuts are extremely rich in various vitamins, especially such as A, E and vitamins of almost the entire group B. Nuts contain sufficient amounts of phosphorus and iron, calcium and potassium. Nuts should be consumed by the elderly to prevent the occurrence of senile dementia. They can also reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Such a variety of halva as pistachio is rarely found in stores, however, this does not detract from its taste properties and the properties contained in it. useful substances. It will help people recovering their strength after suffering illnesses, it is also indicated for problems with the liver and heart. Pistachios have another magical property. Known for their ability to act as an aphrodisiac. Sometimes you can find a mention of the Azov halva. However, this kind of halva does not exist. Speaking like this, they usually mean the products of the Azov confectionery factory.

Halva is not difficult to make at home. All the ingredients that make up halva are available to most of us. It is enough to follow the recipe and, most importantly, the production technology. Then you can get yourself a delicate homemade halva with a wonderful delicate taste and unsurpassed aroma.