Halva Krembo’s

Halva Krembo’s

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know about my recent trip to Israel. I posted lots of droolworthy pics of all of the delicious foods I was eating! And there was no shortage of that. Israel is the land of milk and honey – overflowing with the most amazing bounty. A single trip to the Machane Yehudah market will prove just that. You’ll find the sweetest seasonal fruits and perfect large, robust vegetables that are all farm fresh and (mostly) locally grown. The stands piled high with fresh baked pastries, the artisan breads and fluffy pillows of pita, and the hidden gems of culture at every turn are awe-inspiring.

One thing the shuk is known for is it’s halva. “Mamlechet HaHalva”, or “The Halva Kingdom” is famous for it’s amazing array of halva flavors. It is so hard to pick a favorite but the espresso, candied pecan and cinnamon are all up there!

And any of you that have walked passed the halva stand have been nudged by the famous “Halva King” to try a piece. He’s become a fixture in the shuk, gold crown and all! See my pic with him below!

The Halva Kingdom recently started making a line of flavored tahini as well. I tasted the freshly ground paste (which tastes like peanut butter) and then sampled a selection of sweet and savory flavors like tomato, pesto, nougat, chocolate, and more. The nougat was so good, I brought home a bucket!

All of the amazing flavors and aromas of the shuk inspired me to create a twist on a classic Israel snack – the KREMBO. Krembo is hebrew for “There’s Cream In It”, referring to the fluffy cream hiding under it’s chocolate coating. Krembo’s have a round biscuit base and are available in vanilla and mocha flavors. They’re wrapped up in thin foil packaging, blue for vanilla and brown for mocha.

With tahini being just about the most popular food of Israel, I was surprised they never came out with a halva flavored krembo – so I decided to do just that! I started with a sesame-flavored cookie and topped it with some tahini-flavored whipped cream. I coated it all in chocolate and decorated it with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.


Creating a beautiful chocolate glaze came together easily with the amazing new brand of kosher vegan chocolate chips – California Gourmet. Their 45% cocoa chips are rich in chocolatey flavor with just the right balance of sweetness. I love how easily it melts, perfect for dipping, and it hardens quickly too. I stir in some coconut oil to create the perfect chocolate magic shell, and we use the leftovers to have a little after-school fondue dipping party!

California Gourmet chocolate chips help me keep my krembo’s pareve, without sacrificing on richness and flavor. And boy are these rich and flavorful! Halva flavored Krembo’s, here we come!

And while we are talking about homemade krembo’s, I must give a shoutout to the Balaboosta cookbook. In it, Israeli Chef Einat Admony recreates one of the favorite snacks of her childhood, you guessed it….krembo. Her homemade version of the classic (which looks incredible, by the way), gave me the push I needed to make these happen.

You see, I’m not much of a pastry girl. In fact, I don’t own a single pastry bag. When I say to fill your pastry bag with whip cream, I mean Ziploc. And I cut the corner with a scissor, the old fashioned way. That’s how I pipe people. So let me tell you – If i can make these, you most definitely can. They might look intimidating, but they are anything but. And that, my friends, is just the way I like to do things. Happy Halva-ing!



Here are some photos of the things that inspired this recipe! With the Halva King, eating freshly ground tahini and surrounded by the many flavors of tahini, halva, and of course, krembo!

This post is sponsored by California Gourmet Chocolate Chips. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

Related Recipes: halva & ricotta stuffed figs

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26 thoughts on “Halva Krembo’s

  1. I love your recipes! I have always felt limited because we keep kosher. You have taught me to open my mind and improvise.
    Just saw your picture in the Shook! You’re adorable!

    1. Thanks Sheila, you just made my day! And not ‘cuz you called me adorable :) If there is anything that I am trying to do with my blog, it’s to prove that you don’t have to be limited by kosher food, the possibilities are endless!

  2. Wow i’m not a usually a fan of krembo, actually I avoid it at all cost and I’m a chocolate addict, so it just tell you i’m not a fan, but this recipe kind of presuaded me to second guess my intial dislike for krembo. I love that you use halva for the base I just know my bf would go crazy for this.
    http://www.batelmiller.wordpress.com

  3. these look absolutely unbelievably amazing, chanie! this is like all of my dessert dreams come true. i’ve never had a krembo before, but of course sesame, halva, chocolate… i’m sold :) i am so so excited to try these out.

    1. Thanks Molly! Honestly you’re not missing that much with the store-bought krembo, but a homemade version is definitely worth trying! I definitely thought of you when I was making these!!

  4. Candied pecan halva! I’m going too with the Dribbble krembo as a substitute, don’t know if it’s a wise move. But I believe I got to get my talent straight like Chanie. Thanks for this!

  5. These look so incredibly delicious!I am trying these this weekend. Question: Is the 16oz. whip topping actual heavy cream or store bought whipped topping?

    1. Hi Kathleen, whip topping is nondairy heavy cream so yes, if you want to do dairy with it, use heavy cream, it would be so much more delicious!

  6. Can the cookies with piped cream be frozen until needed? I’m wondering if I can freeze them before a party and just pull them out and dip them in chocolate before the guests arrive.

    1. Definitely! Just make sure there’s enough time for the cookies to thaw before you serve them. No one wants to eat frozen cookies ;)

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