Helva is a typical sweet in Turkey (and the Balkans, Levent, Middle East, and Greece) made with sesame paste (tahini), sugar, and an emulsifier, often egg whites. Sometimes helva is mixed with nuts, as it is here with pistachios. I often have a slice of it with tea, letting the heat of the tea dissolve the sugary helva on my tongue.

NB: There are also two other types of helva-irmik helvası made with semolina and un helvası made with flour, butter and pine nuts.