Salted Chocolate Halva

A luxurious Middle Eastern confection made with tahini and sugar, topped with melted bittersweet chocolate, sesame seeds, and flaky sea salt. This rich and decadent halva has a unique crumbly-yet-smooth texture that melts in your mouth.

8 servings

1 hr

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray
•1½ cups tahini
•¼ tsp kosher salt
•4 Tbsp black and white sesame seeds
•1½ cups sugar
•4 oz bittersweet chocolate
•¼ cup dried edible flowers
•1 pinch Flaky sea salt
•1 piece candy thermometer

Cooking Instructions

1.
Lightly coat an 8 1/2x4 1/2" loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on both of the long sides. Mix tahini, kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds in a medium bowl to combine; set tahini mixture aside.
5 min
2.
Cook sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula, until sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and fit pan with candy thermometer. Cook syrup, brushing down sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush as needed to dissolve any crystals that form, until thermometer registers 250°F, 7-10 minutes. Immediately remove syrup from heat and gradually stream into reserved tahini, mixing constantly with spatula. Continue to mix just until halva comes together in a smooth mass and starts to pull away from the sides of bowl (less than a minute). Be careful not to overmix or halva will be crumbly. Working quickly, scrape into prepared pan and let cool.
15 min
3.
Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water), stirring often. Remove from heat. Invert halva onto a wire rack set inside a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; peel away and discard parchment. Pour chocolate over halva and sprinkle top with flowers (if using), sea salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds. Let sit until chocolate is set before serving, about 30 minutes.
40 min
4.
Halva can be made 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Cooking Instructions

Lightly coat an 8 1/2x4 1/2" loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on both of the long sides. Mix tahini, kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds in a medium bowl to combine; set tahini mixture aside.

5 min

Cook sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula, until sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and fit pan with candy thermometer. Cook syrup, brushing down sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush as needed to dissolve any crystals that form, until thermometer registers 250°F, 7-10 minutes. Immediately remove syrup from heat and gradually stream into reserved tahini, mixing constantly with spatula. Continue to mix just until halva comes together in a smooth mass and starts to pull away from the sides of bowl (less than a minute). Be careful not to overmix or halva will be crumbly. Working quickly, scrape into prepared pan and let cool.

15 min

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water), stirring often. Remove from heat. Invert halva onto a wire rack set inside a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; peel away and discard parchment. Pour chocolate over halva and sprinkle top with flowers (if using), sea salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds. Let sit until chocolate is set before serving, about 30 minutes.

40 min

Halva can be made 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.