halvah
noun
hal·vah häl-ˈvä 
ˈhäl-(ˌ)vä,
-və
variants or halva
: a flaky confection of crushed sesame seeds in a base of syrup (as of honey)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Turkish breads such as simit, a circular seeded loaf, or pide, a chewy flatbread, accompany bowls of feta or other fresh, salty cheeses; olives; halvah; and honey and preserves. 
Casey Barber, CNN, 24 Jan. 2022 Some halvah, an attempt to add sweetness to the proceedings? Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 13 Jan. 2021 This riff on millionaire’s shortbread adds a layer of halvah between the shortbread and caramel layers. Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2020 While most bakers just make chocolate or cinnamon babka, Nuchi creates unusual renditions like halvah, raspberry-cheese and Nutella. Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, 14 Feb. 2020 Chocolate and cinnamon are traditional, but Nuchi also made halvah, raspberry-cheese and even savory versions. Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, 6 Feb. 2020 Dessert is simple: choose from halvah pudding cups or chocolatey tahini cookies. Ellen Fort, Sunset Magazine, 17 Jan. 2020 After lunch, wander down to Kalei Coffee Co. to chill in their shaded courtyard with a big slice of chocolate-and-halvah pie, the local sweet made from tahini. John Gregory-smith, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2018 The feuilles that called to me was made with sesame and halvah. Dorie Greenspan, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2018 See More
Casey Barber, CNN, 24 Jan. 2022 Some halvah, an attempt to add sweetness to the proceedings? Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 13 Jan. 2021 This riff on millionaire’s shortbread adds a layer of halvah between the shortbread and caramel layers. Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2020 While most bakers just make chocolate or cinnamon babka, Nuchi creates unusual renditions like halvah, raspberry-cheese and Nutella. Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, 14 Feb. 2020 Chocolate and cinnamon are traditional, but Nuchi also made halvah, raspberry-cheese and even savory versions. Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, 6 Feb. 2020 Dessert is simple: choose from halvah pudding cups or chocolatey tahini cookies. Ellen Fort, Sunset Magazine, 17 Jan. 2020 After lunch, wander down to Kalei Coffee Co. to chill in their shaded courtyard with a big slice of chocolate-and-halvah pie, the local sweet made from tahini. John Gregory-smith, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2018 The feuilles that called to me was made with sesame and halvah. Dorie Greenspan, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Yiddish halva, from Romanian, from Turkish helva, from Arabic ḥalwā sweetmeat
First Known Use
1846, in the meaning defined above