What is kos halva made from? What is halva made from? What types of halva are there?

How much does kos-halva cost (average price per 1 kg)?

Moscow and Moscow region.

Halva is considered one of the traditional or national sweets of countries Central Asia. It is worth noting that all types of halva in the East are considered not only incredibly tasty, but also quite a healthy food product. By the way, the very name of halva from Arabic can be translated as “sweetness”.

It is noteworthy that in its culinary essence, halva is a type of dessert or oriental sweetness that can be made from nuts, seeds, sugar or its substitutes.

Today, many types of halva are known, among which sesame, sunflower, peanut and cos halva are especially popular. The latter option is one of the varieties of this oriental sweet, which is made on the basis of beaten egg whites with the addition of a certain amount of walnut kernels (halves or quarters).

Composition of kos halva

The finished kos-halva is a solid sugar mass in the form of a sheet or bar. Some compare kos-halva to soft candies that vaguely resemble marshmallows, but have a much denser structure. In addition to walnuts, kos-halva may contain other types of nuts (in particular pistachios), raisins or other types of dried fruits.

The name of this oriental sweet can be divided into two words - Turkish koz, which means nut, and Arabic halva, that is, halva. In addition to hard kos-halva, there is often a soft variety on sale, which is more pleasant in taste and tactile sensations. However, the composition of both types of cos-halva is almost identical: granulated sugar, molasses, egg whites, walnut kernels, soap root solution and vanillin.

To make soft kos-halva, for example, beaten egg whites are combined with a solution of soap root and continue to be beaten with the addition of cooled sugar syrup. When a caramel-protein mass is formed from the listed products, prepared walnut kernels are introduced into it and the kos-halva is formed on round trays (pre-greased) in the form of rhombuses or bars.

In homemade kos-halva, instead of granulated sugar, natural honey, molasses or other types of sweeteners can be added. The calorie content of kos-halva depends on the composition of the product. But the average caloric content of kos-halva is quite high and amounts to about 379.5 kcal, which are contained per 100 grams of this sweet product.

In fairness, it must be said that the probable harm of kos-halva can only be observed in case of excessive consumption of the product in unlimited quantities. It seems that it is not surprising and even logical that hearty kos-halva can cause weight gain if it is systematically consumed in large quantities.

Calorie content of kos-halva 379.5 kcal

Energy value of kos-halva (ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates - bju).

How much does Kos-halva cost (average price per 1 kg)?

Moscow and Moscow region.

Halva is considered one of the traditional or national sweets of the countries of Central Asia. It is worth noting that all types of halva in the East are considered not only incredibly tasty, but also quite a healthy food product. By the way, the very name of halva from Arabic can be translated as “sweetness”.

It is noteworthy that in its culinary essence, halva is a type of dessert or oriental sweetness that can be made from nuts, seeds, sugar or its substitutes.

Composition of kos halva

Halva (from Arabic حَلاوة‎ - “sweetness”) began to be produced back in the 5th millennium BC. This confectionery product is made from ground beans, nut kernels, sesame or sunflower seeds, mixed with caramel mass knocked down using a foaming agent.

The main components of halva are:

protein mass (paste of oil seeds or nuts);
caramel mass (sugar, molasses) or honey;
foaming agent (marshmallow root, licorice or soap root (thornfoil)). It is added to the caramel mass to give the halva a layered fibrous structure.

Other components that play the role of flavorings, dyes and flavoring additives are also added to halva: vanilla or vanillin, cocoa powder, chocolate, pistachios.

Halva. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

What types of halva are there?

Halva has several varieties. In the Middle East, the Balkans and some Mediterranean countries, sesame or tahini halva is common.

In Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus) sunflower halva is widespread. There is also peanut halva made from crushed peanuts and nut halva, which includes different kinds nuts: almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts.

In Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan, halva is made from almost any product: corn, semolina, wheat, carrots, sweet potatoes (yams). Vegetable halwa is made in Pakistan and India. Instead of semolina, beets, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and most often carrots are used. Vegetables are cooked with condensed milk and ghee.

How is halva useful?

Halva contains a large number of vegetable fats, proteins and dietary fiber. It contains potassium, zinc, copper, iron, as well as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium.

The main benefit of halva is the polyunsaturated compounds it contains. fatty acids of plant origin. These are substances such as linoleic, linolenic, oleic and other valuable acids.

What is the disadvantage of halva?

Oriental sweetness - too much high-calorie product. By eating a small piece of halva in 100 g, you can get almost 500 kcal. Therefore, halva should not be abused by those who are prone to obesity. Nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 30 g of this delicacy per day.

How to distinguish high-quality halva from low-quality one?

High-quality halva should be dry, have a layered fibrous structure and slightly crumble. If the surface of the product has a dark coating, it means that the product’s shelf life has come to an end. Halva should not be bitter, be too sweet and stick on the teeth. The treat should melt quickly in your mouth. The fact that the halva is of poor quality is indicated by the thickening of the caramel mass: “white vessels”, clearly visible on the cut.

In addition, halva should not contain husks from seeds and nuts; it should consist only of natural ingredients, without antioxidants, dyes, artificial flavors and emulsifiers.

The shelf life of packaged halva is no more than 2 months, in vacuum packaging - up to six months. If drops of fat are noticeable inside the package, it means that either the technological process or the storage conditions of the halva were violated.

What are koshalva and nougat and how do they differ from halva?

Koshalva is a type of halva made from whipped egg whites, molasses, sugar syrup and nuts. Its difference from halva is that the sweet mass is first prepared, and then fried pieces of walnuts are mixed into it. The Turkish word “koz” just means “nut”. Sometimes honey or other sweeteners are used instead of syrup, and walnuts are replaced with pistachios.

Nougat is also a type of halva. It is prepared from the same components, but without a foaming agent. Instead, plant juice is added to the syrup, which is used as a thickener. Raisins, candied fruits or nuts are poured into thick boiling syrup and immediately poured in a thin layer onto the board. When the mixture hardens, cut it into pieces and sprinkle powdered sugar or flour and let dry.