Halva is a very ancient sweet, the first mention of it dates back to the 5th century BC. It remains to this day a favorite delicacy of adults and children. Modern kandalatchi - so called in ancient times and sometimes called today the masters for the production of halva - when asked what types of halva exist, they will tell you dozens of names, although, of course, only a few are traditional and most popular among them.
A bit of history
Historians claim that halva first appeared in Iran. At first, it was made for harem beauties, but then its purpose expanded, and it began to enter the diet of warriors, who, as a high-calorie dish, gave them strength and vigor. Kandalatchi - masters respected and respected by the population made halva from nuts. By the way, even the word “halva” in translation from Arabic means “nut delicacy”. After the Crusades (11-13 centuries), this oriental dessert came to Europe and immediately won love and popularity among gourmets with a sweet tooth.
Russia owes its acquaintance with halva to the Greek Kazi, who lived in Odessa and knew the recipe for making oriental sweets. An enterprising confectioner opened a small factory for the production of nut delicacies in the city and very soon supplied almost the whole country with it.
At the Kazi factory, craftsmen made walnut and tahini (sesame) halva. Realizing the profitability of the venture, the energetic Greek quickly expanded production, and very soon the enterprise began to produce up to 800 kg of sweet product per day.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Kazi had a rival in the person of the Russian merchant Sviridov. It was rumored that his wife, a compatriot Kazi, shared with him the secret of making halva. According to other rumors, the merchant was told the recipe for an oriental dessert by sailors from his ships, who regularly sailed to Persia and Turkey for goods, and, of course, tried nut halva there. However, Mr. Sviridov made a significant contribution to the variety of types of delicacies. According to one version, it was he who first came up with the idea of using sunflower seeds in the production of halva.
Nowadays, there is a wide variety of types of halva, many recipes and methods for its preparation. But it is believed that real halva is still made in Iran. By the way, they are made by hand, and it cannot be compared with the one that is produced in tons at confectionery factories.
Halva composition
Of course, the main component of any halva is the main product - seeds or nuts. But as the rest of the components, manufacturers take caramel (sugar, molasses) mass, as well as a foaming agent. When making treats at home, honey is usually used instead of sugar and molasses. The role of the foaming agent is to impart a characteristic fibrous structure to halva. To cope with this under the power of egg whites, licorice or marshmallow roots.
Sometimes, for a change, bona fide manufacturers add natural fillers and flavors to halva: vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate and others, unscrupulous ones - preservatives and flavor enhancers that are identical to natural ones.
Sunflower halva
The main component of sunflower halva is sunflower seeds. It is noteworthy that during its production, both kernels and shells (husks) are processed, which gives this type of halva a special taste, more intense than the others. High-quality sunflower halva has a grayish-green hue. Due to the presence of shell particles in the composition, it well cleans the gastrointestinal tract from harmful deposits. It is noticed that this type of delicacy is most loved in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Russia.
Takhinny halva
The protein mass for this type of halva is prepared from ground sesame seeds. It looks much lighter than its sunflower "sister". The color is yellowish gray and the taste is slightly bitter. In addition to excellent nutritional qualities, real tahini halva, due to the high content of useful substances in sesame seeds, has a high biological value, heals and rejuvenates the body.
Peanut halva
It is based on ground nuts. In its production, sugar is usually replaced with honey and, in addition, the foam unit is not connected. Peanut halva comes in a beautiful creamy color and a pleasant mild taste. However, for people suffering from urolithiasis and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, this type of halva is contraindicated, because peanuts contain purines that contribute to the formation and accumulation of urates (uric acid salts).
Combined halva
Today, those with a sweet tooth can enjoy tahini halva with peanuts or walnuts, sunflower halva with almond crumbs, walnut halva with candied fruits, etc. Manufacturers often produce combined halva in the form of sweets.
Glazed halva
Any halva can be glazed. As a coating, manufacturers use chocolate (rarely) or confectionery glaze, consisting of sugar, cocoa powder, molasses, licorice root extract, etc. High-quality glazed halva has a light or dark brown slightly wavy or even surface without white bloom. This is a very high-calorie product.
