Turkish wheat flour helva is a sweet which Turkish women mostly make at home on religious days, on Thursday evenings or when someone passes away, after the burial ceremony, on the seventh and fortieth day following the death of a Muslim, and also on the first anniversary, helva is cooked and offered to visitors and neighbours by relatives of the deceased.
Other than Wheat Flour Helva, there are two other types of helva: Semolina helva and Tahin Helva. In contrary to Wheat Flour Helva and Semolina Helva, Tahin Helva is usually store-bought.
Making Wheat Flour Helva requires arm strength since you need to stir constantly and it can take some time, but still it isn't so hard to make. Here's the recipe which serves approximately 8 people.
Ingredients:
250 gr. sugar
250 gr flour
3 glasses milk
200 gr. butter
It's optional to add nuts or rose water to the Helva.
Method:
- Putt the butter and flour in a pan on medium heat. Stir constantly until it turns into a light brown colour. This can take a while, but it's important that you keep stirring.
- In a bowl, mix the milk and sugar.
- Add the mixed milk to the flour mixture. Stirring will get harder but keep stirring until all the milk is soaked. Turn the heat off. You can serve the Helva cold or warm, that's up to your own preference. Rose water or nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts etc.) can be added to the warm helva.
Enjoy!!
