Five Ingredient Matcha Halva (Print Version)

A modern fusion confection blending creamy tahini with vibrant matcha for a silky, melt-in-your-mouth sweet.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup tahini, well-stirred and unsweetened
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar

→ Flavor

03 - 2 teaspoons culinary grade matcha green tea powder

→ Syrup

04 - ⅓ cup water

→ Finish

05 - Pinch of fine sea salt

# How-To Steps:

01 - Line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal later.
02 - Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar completely dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil and cook without stirring until thermometer reaches 245°F (soft ball stage).
03 - While syrup heats, whisk tahini, matcha powder, and sea salt in a mixing bowl until completely smooth and uniform in color.
04 - Immediately pour hot syrup into tahini mixture upon reaching temperature. Stir vigorously with wooden spoon for 20-30 seconds until mixture thickens, appears matte, and begins pulling away from bowl sides.
05 - Quickly scrape mixture into prepared pan and smooth top surface evenly.
06 - Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour until completely firm.
07 - Lift halva from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 12 equal squares and serve immediately or store refrigerated.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly creamy and light, like eating a flavored cloud made of sesame
  • It comes together in under fifteen minutes of active cooking but tastes like you spent hours
  • Matcha's slight bitterness cuts through tahini's richness in the most elegant way
02 -
  • The temperature 245°F is non negotiable because anything lower won't set properly and anything higher makes the halva crumbly instead of smooth
  • You have to work fast once the syrup hits the tahini because it starts setting immediately and will become impossible to spread if you hesitate
  • The mixture will look curdled and concerning at first but keep stirring and it will come together beautifully
03 -
  • Room temperature tahini incorporates much more easily than cold from the refrigerator, so let it sit out while you gather your ingredients
  • If you want to add pistachios, toast them first and fold them in quickly after the halva comes together but before it gets too stiff to mix

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