This Semolina Halva is one of my favorite Greek desserts. It is super easy to make and has few ingredients. You only need coarse semolina, extra virgin olive oil, brown sugar, and spices like cinnamon and cloves.
If you love this Semolina Halva, you will also love this Galaktoboureko, Pasteli-Sesame Candy or Cretan Bougatsa!
Why this recipe sings
Here is what you need
- Coarse semolina flour.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Brown sugar.
- Slivered almonds.
- Ground cinnamon & clove.
How to make semolina halva
A semolina halva dessert is always made on the stovetop. It takes almost no effort. You mix all the ingredients over medium heat, and about 20 minutes later, the cake mixture is ready. It goes into the bundt pan for shaping. After two to three hours of cooling, the dessert is ready.
Turn the cake over on a large serving dish.
Sprinkle ground cinnamon all over the cake. Cut into slices and serve.
Halva Tips
- You can use whole-blanched almonds if you prefer.
- Substitute the almonds with pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts and add raisins if you like.
- If you can not find coarse semolina, just use fine semolina. You can also mix one cup of regular semolina with one cup of coarse semolina.
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Greek Semolina Halva Dessert
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups coarse semolina flour
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus more for dusting
- 1½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and toast the almonds for 2-3 minutes.Transfer the almonds to a plate and set it aside. 1 cup slivered almonds
- Add the olive oil to the skillet. Add the semolina and toast it over medium-low heat. Mix continuously for 4-5 minutes, until the semolina becomes golden brown. Take your time, and don't rush. 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cups coarse semolina flour
- Add the brown sugar, water, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and almonds. Stir for another 10 minutes until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. You will know it is ready when it starts to pull away from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and cover the pan with a kitchen towel. Let the semolina mixture cool slightly.3 cups brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup slivered almonds 6 cups water
- Brush a non-stick bundt cake pan with a little olive oil. Transfer the mixture to the bundt pan and press it lightly into the pan to fill the shape nicely with no gaps. Don't push it in too hard, you don't want the cake to be very dense. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel, and let the cake rest for 3-4 hours until completely firm.
- Turn the cake over on a large serving platter. Sprinkle ground cinnamon all over the halva. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
- Do not rush toasting the semolina with the olive oil since it can burn easily.
- You can use whole-blanched almonds if you prefer.
- Substitute the almonds with pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts and add raisins if you like.
- If you can not find coarse semolina, just use fine semolina. You can also mix one cup of regular semolina with one cup of coarse semolina.
- Hit the bundt pan on a hard surface to make sure the mixture settles and all gaps are filled nicely.
Nutrition
I love the sound of this cake. I am not a sweets person, so this is right up my alley. I would even eat this for breakfast LOL….pairs perfectly with coffee all day long.
Yum! Never tried this before but your Vegan Semolina Halva Cake looks super delicious and I can’t wait to hvae a bite!
This is a sweet treat that you won’t feel weighed down and can be whipped up because it takes basic pantry ingredients to make.
This halwa is similar to sooji halwa made in India. It is also used as a offering to Goddess Durga. Raisins taste real good too along with almonds and cashews.
Oh I love halvah and semolina and dense cakes, so this is one recipe I need to try! Thanks for sharing.
Wow what a fabulous cake! I’m so intrigued by this one! Such a dense cake…I bet it is so delicious ^_^
I’ve got to say, I’ve never tried halva cake before. It looks delicious and just what I would love to experiment with. I am so surprised to see how little you need to make it though!
What a unique recipe! Love the idea of olive oil here, and it looks super moist, too! yum!
This halwa cake looks incredible!! I love that it is vegan and the flavours sound absolutely mouthwatering. I cannot wait to give this one a try!
Semolina halva is a regularly made at home, and my kids absolutely love it. I love the idea of making a cake of it. Wonderful idea, gonna try this.
Oh my – halva itself is so delicious. I had no idea you could use it to make a cake. This cake looks so scrumptious and delicious!
La halva es el postre imprescindible de la cocina turca. La halva, cuyas raíces se extienden a una geografía amplía desde el Oriente Medio hacia Asia Central, lleva significados más allá de ser un postre ordinario en la cultura turca.
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Hi! As another Greek I love this recipe and it tastes amazing. However, I found around 3/4 cups of olive oil could be used instead of 1 and around 4 cups of water instead of 6. It gets very watery+ excess oil and makes it a bit messy when we just want the water to evaporate away.
Overall love the recipe and so did my family.
Hi Athena,
I glad you adjusted the recipe. Recipes can vary with altitudes, available ingredients, and anything in between. I have had dishes come out different in Athens then in Hoboken! I will add a note to the post with your suggestions.
Thank you so much,
x Jenny