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Russian Chocolate Halva with Sunflower and cocoa

Russian Chocolate Halva with Sunflower and Cocoa

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Russian
Servings 10 Slices

Equipment

  • Food Processor or High-Speed Blender Essential for turning sunflower seeds into a creamy paste. A mortar and pestle won't give you the same smooth consistency.
  • Small saucepan For making the sugar syrup. Stainless steel pans work best to monitor the syrup’s color and consistency.
  • Candy thermometer Helpful for hitting the right temperature for the sugar syrup (250°F / 120°C). If you don’t have one, a cold water test will work.
  • Loaf Pan or Silicone Mold For setting the halva. A simple 8x4 loaf pan lined with parchment paper works perfectly.
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula For mixing everything together quickly before the halva sets.

Ingredients
  

For the Sunflower Seed Paste

  • 1 ½ cups raw hulled sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil like sunflower or canola oil
  • Pinch of salt

For the Sugar Syrup

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup or glucose syrup to help prevent crystallization
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Layer

  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seed paste from above
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 2 teaspoons powdered sugar optional, for a sweeter chocolate flavor

Instructions
 

Toast and Blend the Sunflower Seeds

  1. Start by dry-roasting the raw sunflower seeds in a pan over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Let them cool for a few minutes.
  2. Transfer to a food processor and blend until a smooth, slightly oily paste forms. Add the oil and salt, and continue to process until the texture is creamy but thick — like natural peanut butter. This is your homemade sunflower seed base, the heart of this Russian halva recipe.

Prepare the Sugar Syrup

  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let it come to a boil. Continue cooking until the syrup reaches 250°F (the hard ball stage). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a bit of syrup into cold water — it should form a hard, flexible ball.
  2. Remove the syrup from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine Syrup and Sunflower Paste

  1. While the syrup is still hot, pour it into the sunflower seed paste. Work fast — this mixture will begin to firm up quickly. Stir vigorously until it thickens and becomes grainy. This is a sign that the halva is crystallizing, which is exactly what you want.

Divide and Add Cocoa

  1. Immediately divide the halva mixture into two bowls. In one, mix in the cocoa powder, extra oil, and a little powdered sugar to sweeten the chocolate layer. You now have two layers: plain sunflower and cocoa sunflower.

Layer and Mold

  1. Line your loaf pan with parchment. First, press in the chocolate layer, then add the plain sunflower mixture on top. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon or spatula to pack the layers tightly and create the classic halva design — those rippling, rustic, almost marble-like lines.
  2. Let the halva set at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or chill it in the fridge to speed things up.

Slice and Serve

  1. Once firm, lift it from the mold, slice into thick slabs, and enjoy. The texture should be dense yet slightly crumbly, with a nutty aroma and a bittersweet chocolate finish.