This is another recipe that could only find a home in this ‘just for fun’ playground of mine. Unless I were working on a recipe for a brand that sold halva, I know that all past employers would deem it too niche, too hard to find, not clickable enough! But in my house, we’ve always got some in the cupboard. My half-Israeli husband spent his early years on a kibbutz and halva is to him what Colin the Caterpillar is to us - a sugary hit of childhood nostalgia.

Brownies are a personal thing. Do you like them fudgy or chewy? Edge piece or centre? For me, they must be as chewy as possible. I am a stickler for texture. I almost feel like texture matters more than taste. (Or at least, as much as). As such, these brownies must cool aaalll the way before being sliced. If you are less fussy than me, go ahead and slice them after they’ve cooled for about an hour. If, like me, you want them so chewy they pull at your teeth, make them the day before you slice them. (And for extra credit, give them a while to chill in the refrigerator).

Because the halva adds a lot of extra sweetness, I use a dash of coffee extract instead of the standard vanilla extract. They keep well for several days after being baked, and any extras keep well in the freezer for several months. (On that note, I’m actually rather partial to a frozen brownie. Once they defrost for about 10 minutes they are even chewier, and because this recipe uses both melted chocolate and cocoa powder, the flavour is rich enough to withstand being frozen).