Halvah Braid

On cold winter nights, when everyone in your family is sneezing and sniffling, why not serve this treat? The superfood flax may help soothe sore noses.

Directions

Prepare the Filling

1. In a food processor, grind the flax with the sunflower seeds. Mix in the sesame seeds, sesame butter, tahini, honey, and sugar.

2. Slowly pour water into the mixture, stirring and adding water until it has a smooth, creamy texture. (This cream can be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator.)

Tips:

The halvah-flax-sunflower filling is also a great spread for bread or rice cakes, but be sure to reduce the amounts of honey and sugar.

Notes:

Sesame butter is made from toasted whole sesame seeds, while tahini, or sesame paste, is made from hulled white sesame seeds.

Assemble the Braid

1. Roll the dough into a rectangle, 12×16 inches (30×40 centimeters). Spread a generous layer of halvah cream on the dough.

2. Roll the dough jelly-roll style and slice lengthwise. Press the top ends of the two strips together and twist them into a screw-like shape.

3. To make a braid, double the recipe, prepare two rolls and slice them in half. Use three of those halves to form a braid. Knot the fourth strip for a small personal-sized cake.

4. Let the cakes rise, glaze them, and bake.