Halva (Russian Sunflower Halva)

Method

1. 1Toast the shelled sunflower seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5–7 minutes until golden and fragrant. Don't let them brown too far — scorched seeds turn the halva bitter. Cool completely.
2. 2Toast the flour separately in a dry pan, stirring, until it smells nutty and turns pale gold. This removes the raw taste and helps the halva crumble properly.
3. 3Blend the cooled seeds in a powerful food processor for several minutes until they release their oil and turn into a thick, wet paste. Blend in the toasted flour and the vegetable oil.
4. 4Make the syrup: combine the sugar and water in a heavy pan and cook over medium heat, without stirring, to about 118–120°C — thick and bubbling but not colored. No thermometer? Drop a little syrup from a spoon into a glass of cold water: it should roll into a firm ball that holds its shape but still squashes between your fingers. If it stays soft and flat, cook a minute longer and test again. Stir in the vanilla sugar.
5. 5Pour the hot syrup into the seed paste and mix hard with a spatula. The syrup is much hotter than boiling water and sticks to skin, so pour it away from you and never test it with a finger — it burns badly. Keep working the mass as it cools — this is what pulls it into the characteristic fibrous, layered texture rather than a smooth paste.
6. 6Press the mixture firmly into a paper-lined dish or mould, compacting it well so it holds together.
7. 7Chill 3–4 hours, or overnight, until firm. Turn out and cut into pieces. It keeps for weeks in a cool, dry place.