Halwa

Method

1. 1 Toast the flour in butter over low heat for 18 minutes until it turns a golden brown color.
2. 2 This version uses roasted wheat flour instead of semolina, resulting in a smoother, more pliable dough with a richer buttery flavor.
3. 3 Roast the tea for a full 18 minutes to remove the raw flour smell; under-roasting will result in a coarse, floury taste.
4. 4 Cook the sugar syrup with milk, cinnamon stick, and a few drops of lemon juice, then keep it warm.
5. 5 Pour the hot syrup into the roasted flour on the stove and stir vigorously until the mixture thickens.
6. 6 Cover the pot tightly for 10 minutes, then scoop with a wet spoon and sprinkle with roasted walnuts.

With an appliance

• Microwave 24 min

  Replace steps 1–3: mix the flour with butter in a wide bowl, microwave at 800 W for 7 minutes, stirring thoroughly every 90 seconds until amber brown; instead of 18 minutes of roasting, the flour loses its raw smell faster (11 minutes) and browns evenly. The syrup in step 4 must be kept warm separately before pouring it into the appliance as in step 5.