This oriental dessert is prepared from a combination of sugar with nuts or seeds. The first mentions of halva date back to the 5th century BC. It was invented in Iran, from there it spread throughout the East. The basic rules for how to store halva were invented at a time when there were no refrigerators yet. I must say, they have not changed much for modern housewives, but they have become much easier in our age of technological progress. This dessert is a valuable source of vegetable protein and carbohydrates, it is ideal for a nutritious breakfast and is often included in the diet of athletes.
The most important thing in storing halva:
- The optimal storage temperature for halvah is 12 ° C.
- This sweetness can be stored both in the refrigerator and outside it.
- You can freeze halva for a maximum of 3 months.
There are the following varieties of halva:
- tahini or sesame;
- sunflower;
- peanut;
- nutty
How to choose
When buying halva, pay attention to its color and smell. Of all types of halva, only sunflower has a dark gray color. Dessert made from sesame is the lightest. Halva from nuts has a pleasant beige color, like peanuts, hazelnuts, etc. Halva is sold by weight and packaged in portions in hermetically sealed packages.
Halva smells like what it is made of, with the addition of caramel aroma, and has a sweet, rich taste without any extraneous aftertaste. If after the test you have a taste of bitterness left, or the smell of halva differs from the product from which it is made, this is a sign of a spoiled dessert. When buying halva by weight, pay attention to the temperature at which it is stored at the point of sale. It is not allowed to sell this product from an open container in direct sunlight. In addition, the seller must monitor the place where the halva is stored, so that the open product cannot be accessed by customers who touch the product with their hands, which does not undergo heat treatment.
It is better to buy Turkish tahini or sesame halva in factory packaging. The taste of sunflower or nut will also be more pleasant if the product was hermetically packaged. When buying a packaged dessert, pay attention to the shelf life of halva specified by the manufacturer. When sold, it should not be stored in the open sun. Also, the temperature should not exceed 20 °C or be higher than that specified by the manufacturer.
The shelf life of halva is 6 months from the date of production, so when buying packaged, choose the freshest, and when buying weight, look at the production date indicated on the box.
Storage at home
You can’t eat a lot of this dessert at once, so the question arises, where to store halva at home after purchase.
The sealed halva can be put in the pantry or taken out to the balcony. Store at a temperature not higher than 12 °C, during the expiration date indicated on the package. It is also possible to store this dessert in any compartment of the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than 7 °C according to the manufacturer’s terms.
In order to preserve the taste and freshness of open or weighted halva, it is necessary to choose the right storage conditions for the dessert.
- Put in a closed container, preferably glass or in a hermetic plastic container.
- Store in a dry, cool place, at a temperature not higher than 12 °C and relative humidity not higher than 75%. It can be a pantry, a mezzanine on the balcony or a dry and not very cold cellar.
Is it possible to store halva, wrapped in paper, on a shelf in the refrigerator? It is not recommended to do this, as it quickly absorbs extraneous odors and this spoils its taste and aroma. The best types of containers in which to store halva are:
- a glass jar with a tight screw-on lid;
- plastic container for food storage;
- vacuum bag.
It is undesirable to store the dessert in an open container, as it will become wet and spoil.
The terms of storage of weighted halva in the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than 7 °C are:
- peanut – 1.5 months;
- nut – 1.5 months;
- sesame – 2 months;
- sunflower – 2 months;
- glazed and with additives – 2 months.
Can it be frozen?
To preserve the taste of the product for a long time, it can be frozen. Halva is no exception, but the following requirements apply to storing this dessert in the freezer:
- you can only freeze tahini or sesame halva, they do not become bitter after defrosting;
- when freezing, the dessert must be packed hermetically, without air entering;
- freezing should be fast, at a temperature of -18 °C and below;
- halva can be stored in this form for no longer than 3 months.
Halva should be defrosted in the package on the refrigerator shelf.