Desserts Dessert Gelato Mediterranean Tahini Nostalgic

Tahini Halva Gelato

Name: Tahini Halva Gelato
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 cup Whole milk; 1 cup Heavy cream; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 5 large Large egg yolks; 0.75 cup Granulated sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 0.75 cup Smooth tahini; 1 cup, crumbled Sesame halva, crumbled; 0.33 cup Toasted pistachios, chopped

Silky gelato flavored with toasted tahini and swirls of crumbly sesame halva for a nutty, nostalgic Mediterranean treat. Brightened with a touch of vanilla and finished with crunchy pistachios, it’s a sophisticated scoop that feels both familiar and novel.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 20m · Cook: 20m · Total300 mins

DifficultyMedium

Serves8

AuthorJake

Ingredient Spotlight

Smooth tahini

Tahini is a paste made from toasted, ground sesame seeds that is a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It has a rich, oily, nutty flavor with a slight bitter edge and a creamy texture, and is used in hummus, dressings, sauces, and desserts. You can find it in the international or natural foods aisle of supermarkets, Middle Eastern markets, or online. Good substitutes are natural peanut butter or sunflower seed butter (for a nut-free option), or almond butter with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil to mimic the sesame flavor.

Ingredient Spotlight

Sesame halva, crumbled

Sesame halva (halvah) is a dense, crumbly confection made from tahini and a sugar or honey syrup, popular across the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, and parts of Eastern Europe. It tastes very sweet with an intense toasted sesame flavor and a flaky, slightly grainy texture; varieties are often studded with pistachios or cocoa. You can buy it at Middle Eastern grocery stores, specialty food shops, or some supermarket international aisles. If you can’t find it, a rough stand-in is a sweetened tahini slab made by mixing tahini with powdered sugar until thick and chill-set, or using sesame brittle/seed brittle for a crunchy, sesame-forward alternative (though texture and sweetness will differ).

Jake's note

"This gelato shines at dinner parties and warm-weather gatherings—rich and comforting yet refreshingly smooth. Home cooks will love how simple custard techniques transform tahini and halva into an elegant frozen dessert."

Tahini Halva Gelato

Tahini Halva Gelato takes two iconic sesame flavors — the toasted, savory nuttiness of tahini and the crumbly, honeyed sweetness of sesame halva — and suspends them in a silken, custard-rich gelato. The custard base here is essential: the egg yolks and slow cooking give the ice cream body and a tender mouthfeel that lets tahini’s roasted oiliness shine without feeling greasy. Crumbled halva folded in at the end creates playful ribbons and little shards that contrast the cream, while chopped toasted pistachios add a fresh, green crunch and a flavor bridge back to the Mediterranean pantry that inspired the idea.

This version works because it balances technique with restraint — lightly toasting the tahini or the pistachios awakens aromatics, tempering the yolks prevents curdled bits, and chilling the custard thoroughly helps the gelato churn smoothly. It’s a dessert for people who love texture and depth: serve it after a lemony main to soothe the palate, offer it alongside strong coffee for contrast, or spoon it into small cups as a nostalgic, grown-up finale. If you adore sesame in any form, this is the kind of scoop that becomes a favorite, and it rewards small attentions like careful straining and a light sprinkle of flaky salt at the end.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

1:55 pm–2:55 pm→Warm the dairy

2:55 pm–3:55 pm→Whisk yolks and sugar

3:55 pm–4:55 pm→Cook the custard

4:55 pm–5:55 pm→Add tahini and cool

5:55 pm–6:55 pm→Churn and fold in halva and pistachios

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Warm the dairy

In a medium saucepan combine the whole milk, heavy cream and sea salt. Heat over medium until the mixture is steaming and just beginning to form tiny bubbles at the edges (do not boil), then remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the eggs.

For this step

2 cupWhole milk
1 cupHeavy cream
0.5 tspFine sea salt

Whisk yolks and sugar

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Temper the yolks by slowly streaming about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking, then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.

For this step

5 largeLarge egg yolks
0.75 cupGranulated sugar

Cook the custard

Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

For this step

1 tspVanilla extract

Add tahini and cool

Whisk the smooth tahini into the warm custard until fully incorporated and silky. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any solids, then chill the custard in the refrigerator until completely cold (at least 4 hours or overnight) for best texture.

For this step

0.75 cupSmooth tahini

Churn and fold in halva and pistachios

Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (about 20–30 minutes). In the last few minutes of churning add half of the crumbled halva to create ribbons. Transfer to a container, gently fold in the remaining halva and the toasted pistachios, and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

For this step

1 cup, crumbledSesame halva, crumbled
0.38 cupToasted pistachios, chopped

Tips from the kitchen

Bloom the Tahini First

Warm the tahini slightly before whisking it into the warm custard to loosen oils and prevent clumping for a silkier integration.

Temper Yolks Carefully

Add the hot milk slowly while whisking to avoid cooked bits; if you see ribbons, keep stirring over low heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon.

Chill Thoroughly Overnight

Cooling the custard completely (ideally overnight) gives the fat a chance to crystallize so the churn produces a denser, creamier gelato.

Fold Halva Last

Add half the crumbled halva during the final minutes of churning for ribbons, then fold the rest in by hand to preserve pleasant shards.

Prevent Ice Crystals

Press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the gelato surface before sealing the container to minimize freezer burn and iciness.

Variations & substitutions

Vegan Coconut Tahini

Replace the dairy and yolks with 2 cups full-fat coconut milk plus 1 cup coconut cream and thicken with a 2–3 tablespoon cornstarch slurry cooked into the base before chilling.

Chocolate-Sesame Twist

Stir in 2–3 ounces melted dark chocolate swirled into the churned gelato for a sesame-black-chocolate combination that echoes halvah’s subtle cocoa notes.

Orange Blossom & Citrus

Add 1 teaspoon orange blossom water to the custard and fold in 1–2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest for a bright, floral lift that cuts the sweetness.

Cardamom-Spiced Halva

Gently toast 6 green cardamom pods, grind them, and whisk 1/2 to 1 teaspoon into the base for a warm-spiced profile that pairs beautifully with sesame.

Storage & make-ahead

Store the gelato in an airtight, freezer-safe container with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals. It keeps best for up to 2 weeks for peak texture, though it will be safe longer; allow 10–15 minutes at room temperature to soften before scooping. If it becomes too hard, transfer to the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes rather than microwaving, which will ruin the texture.

What to serve with it

Serve small scoops in chilled bowls with an extra drizzle of tahini or a tear of honey and a scatter of chopped toasted pistachios for crunch. Pair with strong coffee, cardamom-spiced espresso, or a lightly sweet dessert wine; for a composed dessert, spoon it alongside roasted figs or a citrus compote to cut the richness.

Frequently asked questions

Can I toast the tahini before using it?

Yes — warm the tahini in a dry skillet over low heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly, to deepen its flavor, but don’t overheat or it will separate and become oily.

Why do I need to strain the custard?

Straining removes any coagulated egg strands or sesame flecks for an ultra-smooth gelato; tahini can sometimes leave tiny particles that a sieve will catch.

How do I keep the halva from dissolving into the gelato?

Fold most of the halva in after churning and add some during the final minutes only to create distinct ribbons and retain crumbly texture rather than complete dissolution.

Can I make this without an ice cream maker?

Yes — freeze the chilled custard in a shallow pan, stirring vigorously every 30 minutes for the first 2–3 hours to break up ice crystals until set, though the texture won’t be quite as creamy as churned gelato.

My custard curdled; can I still use it?

If it curdled into small cooked bits, pass it through a fine sieve and blend briefly with an immersion blender to re-emulsify before chilling; if it smells off or severely separated, start over.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

8 servings

Step 1: Warm the dairy

Whole milk2 cup
Heavy cream1 cup
Fine sea salt0.5 tsp

Step 2: Whisk yolks and sugar

Large egg yolks5 large
Granulated sugar0.75 cup

Step 3: Cook the custard

Vanilla extract1 tsp

Step 4: Add tahini and cool

Smooth tahini0.75 cup

Step 5: Churn and fold in halva and pistachios

Sesame halva, crumbled1 cup, crumbled
Toasted pistachios, chopped0.38 cup

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 1/2 cup (170g)

Calories632

Total Fat46.5g

Saturated Fat18.4g

Trans Fat0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat10g

Monounsaturated Fat12.8g

Total Carbohydrates34.2g

Dietary Fiber2.3g

Total Sugars5.6g

Protein23.2g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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