Ingredients:

• 250g butter
• 2 tablespoons blanched almonds
• 1 cup strong plain flour
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon rose water

Melt the butter in a round-bottomed pan. Add the almonds to the flour and cook on a very low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the almonds and flour have turned golden brown. A good helva needs to cook for at least 60 minutes. Put the sugar  and water on to heat in a saucepan and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat two minutes after it has come to a boil and pour on to the cooked flour mixture in its pan and stir. Once it has stopped sticking to the pan, cover and leave on a very low heat for 15 minutes. Spoon the helva into a dish, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon, sprinkle with rose water and serve hot.

[green_box]Bon Appetit – Afiyet Olsun[/green_box]