Halva

Ingredients:

1 pound granulated sugar

pinch salt
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold water
1 pound pure sesame tehini (make sure there is no added salt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces dark chocolate, melted
Preparation:
Line a loaf pan or other mold with plastic wrap leaving a generous overhang on each
side. Set aside.
Place the water, sugar, and salt in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring
occasionally to make sure the sugar is all dissolving. Once the mixture comes to a boil
do not stir it again. Place a candy thermometer in the sugar mixture and cook to 248
Fahrenheit. While it is cooking use a pastry brush dipped in water to periodically brush
down the sides of the pan to wash down any sugar crystals.
While the sugar syrup is cooking place the tehini in a small sauce pan and heat to 120
Fahrenheit. (If you do not have a second thermometer just heat it until it is quite warm
to the touch but not hot.) Stir frequently to prevent it from burning. Transfer the warm
tehini to the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a mixing paddle. Add the vanilla extract.
Once the sugar has come to temperature, immediately pour it into the mixing bowl.
Turn it on the lowest setting and mix just until the mixture starts to look a bit grainy and
loses some of its shine. Be careful not to overbeat the mixture or it will set in the bowl
yielding a crumbly mess rather than a creamy finished candy. This should take no more
than a minute. Immediately add the chocolate and mix just until the chocolate is swirled
through. Working quickly, transfer the mixture to the prepared mold. Smooth down the
top with a spatula and fold the plastic wrap over the top. Let cool at room temperature
until set, approximately one hour. Store, well wrapped in plastic, in an airtight container
in the refrigerator.