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Höşmerim
Höşmerim: Erzurum's warm halva of fresh cheese, semolina and syrup
Höşmerim is a winter dessert of the Erzurum plateau and the Bolu highlands, made from unsalted fresh cheese melted with butter and semolina until it turns golden and gives off its own butter, then soaked with syrup. It's eaten warm in small bowls, chewy and rich, topped with crushed walnuts or pistachios, often after a long cold day. Common mistake: using salty or aged cheese, which turns oily and bitter; you need a soft, unsalted fresh cheese such as lor or ricotta. Chef's tip: keep cooking until the fat starts seeping out at the edges and the mixture is the colour of light toffee; that's where the flavour comes from.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 4 oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
For the halva
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 10 ½ oz unsalted fresh cheese (lor) or ricottadrained
- 1 ¾ oz fine semolina
- 1 oz walnuts or pistachios (optional)crushed
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil 4 oz sugar and ¾ cup water for 5 minutes and keep warm.
5 minStep 2: Melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Add 10 ½ oz unsalted fresh cheese (lor) or ricotta and stir for 5 minutes, until it melts and becomes stringy.
5 minStep 3: Stir in 1 ¾ oz fine semolina and keep cooking, stirring and folding, for 10–12 minutes, until the mixture turns light golden and butter starts to seep out at the edges.
12 minStep 4: Pour in the warm syrup; it will bubble up. Stir over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, until it is absorbed and the halva is glossy and soft.
3 minStep 5: Spoon into small bowls and serve warm, topped with 1 oz walnuts or pistachios.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does höşmerim take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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