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Sabuniye halva (butter, sugar and starch)

Whole recipeFrom: Turabi Efendi, Turkish Cookery Book (1864)

Ingredients

  • 454 gButter
  • 454 gSugar
  • 227 gWheat starch
  • 568 gWater

The source does not say how many it serves. Amounts are the whole recipe as written; no serving count was made up.

Grams are the real measure. Glasses and spoons are approximate and vary by ingredient. 1 Turkish glass is 200 ml.

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Allergens

Allergen information is not complete yet.

Worked out from the ingredients. It does not cover contact in your kitchen.

Cross-section

  1. Water33%
  2. Butter27%
  3. Sugar27%
  4. Wheat starch13%

Ingredients by weight, heaviest at the bottom.

Method

  1. Dissolve the sugar in a little water. Put the butter in a pot with the sugar syrup and set it on the heat.

  2. Whisk the starch with the water into a thin mixture. When the butter bubbles, add it a little at a time, stirring without a break.

  3. Taste now and then; the halva is ready once it no longer clings to your teeth. Plate and serve.

Where this recipe comes from

From a published work: quantities come from Turabi Efendi, Turkish Cookery Book (1864); the method is written in our own words.

Last changed: November 1, 2026

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