TURKISH HELVA

Turkish Helva is made in two quite distinct ways, really two different dishes. We first had a pie like this, oddly in a Turkish restaurant in Athens. Foolishly I didn't ask for the recipe - it's difficult to get.

I have a fascination for both honey and tahini, and the recipe we enjoyed in Athens certainly had both. It had a sweet nutty flavour... and we're going to add a handful of pecan nuts. Nuttier than ever.

Tahini incidently is a sesame seed paste.

Right now Bernard Preston is waiting for the honey flow to start from my beehives, so this recipe, the other kind, Turkish Helva fudge, is still untested. I recommend you lick your lips - and wait a bit until we've tried it! Helen makes a divine fudge so I've no doubt we'll get it perfect. It'll be worth the wait.

INGREDIENTS

1. 1-1/4 cups of sugar
2. 1-1/2 cups of tahini
3. 1/2 cup of water
4. 2TBS raw honey
5. 2 TBSP chopped pecan nuts

DIRECTIONS to make TURKISH HELVA FUDGE

• Boil the sugar and water to form a thick syrup.

• Pour the hot syrup slowly into the tahini, beating well as it combines.

• As it begins to set, add the honey and nuts.

• Press the mixture onto a baking tray, oiled with a little butter.

• Refridgerate. Once it has set firm, cut into squares.

SESAME TAHINI - what's that?

Beekeeping