As someone who has a very American palate when it comes to sweet things, I’m all about chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles. I grew up thinking that when my Savta served halva and fresh fruit as dessert, it was, in fact, a punishment. That is, until I lived in Israel. We would often shop for our produce at the Shuk (market) in Machane Yehuda in Jerusalem. If you have ever been there, you can’t miss the halva sellers. Halva in every flavour imaginable is sold, and the minute I gave in and tried a sample from a passing tray, I was hooked. Nowadays, I want to include halva in every dessert I eat. The nutty, sweet taste is insanely moreish and addictive.

The dessert below is adapted from the amazing Zahav cookbook by Mike Solomonov and Steven Cook. It looks impressive without any work. It’s no-bake. It takes a few minutes to prepare and only a few minutes to assemble just before serving. It’s also vegan—and though people are often sceptical about the flavour combination, it’s always a winner.

I like to serve these in small shot glasses, but feel free to use small drinking glasses instead if you want a more substantial dessert.

Not a fan of blueberry compote? You can swap it for layers of chocolate mousse and crumbled brownie instead—it’s a rich, indulgent alternative that also pairs beautifully with the halva.

INGREDIENTS: makes 16 small shot glasses

Mousse

• 450 g (1 lb) halva, roughly chopped
• 118 ml (1/2 cup) non-dairy milk
• Pinch of salt
• 158 ml (2/3 cup) non-dairy whipping cream

Compote

• 260g (2 cups) blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• Grated rind of a lemon
• Juice of half a lemon

To Serve (all optional):

• Fresh blueberries
• Sesame snaps

METHOD:

For the Mousse:

1. Blend the halva: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the halva, non-dairy milk, and a pinch of salt. Blitz until completely smooth.
2. Whip the cream: In a clean bowl, whip the non-dairy cream until soft peaks form.
3. Fold together: Gently fold the halva mixture into the whipped cream using a spatula, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
4. Chill: Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

For the Compote:

5. Cook the fruit: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon rind. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves and the berries release their juices.
6. Thicken the compote: Increase the heat to medium and cook at a gentle boil until the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
7. Finish and chill: Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until ready to serve.

To Assemble:

8. Layer the dessert: Just before serving, pipe or spoon a layer of halva mousse into the base of each cup, followed by a layer of compote, then another layer of halva mousse.
9. Garnish: Top with fresh blueberries, and sesame snaps, if using.
10. Optional variation: Substitute the compote with chocolate mousse and brownie pieces for a decadent alternative.

MAKE AHEAD:

The two elements can be made up to three days before serving and stored in the fridge until ready to serve, assemble just before serving.