Greek Halva-style semolina pudding with pine nuts and cinnamon

Sweet semolina halva flavoured with orange, vanilla and pine nuts — the Greek Lenten dessert that’s surprisingly easy and intensely moreish.

Ingredients

• 200 g fine semolina
• 200 g caster sugar
• 120 g unsalted butter (or olive oil for vegan)
• 600 ml water
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 60 g pine nuts, toasted
• Ground cinnamon for dusting

Method

1. Make the syrup. Combine water, sugar, orange zest and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the cinnamon stick.

2. Toast the semolina. In a separate heavy pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the semolina and stir constantly for 8-10 minutes until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty. Be patient — the colour change is the difference between great and bland halva.

3. Combine carefully. Pour the hot syrup into the toasted semolina in a thin stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. The mixture will hiss and bubble violently — this is normal.

4. Cook for 3-4 minutes more, stirring, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and looks glossy. Stir in the vanilla and most of the toasted pine nuts.

5. Pour into a greased loaf tin or mould and press down firmly. Cool to room temperature, ideally overnight.

6. Turn out and slice into thick pieces. Toast the remaining pine nuts in a dry pan until golden. Serve each piece topped with pine nuts and a generous dusting of ground cinnamon.

Notes

For vegan halva, substitute good olive oil for the butter — the flavour is slightly different but equally good.