Halva is any of various dense, sweet, tahini based confections. In global, popular usage it means "desserts" or "sweet", and describes two types of desserts: Flour-based: This type of halva is slightly gelatinous and made from grain flour, typically semolina. The primary ingredients are clarified butter, flour, and sugar. Nut-butter-based: This type of halva is crumbly and usually made from tahini (sesame paste) or other nut butters, such as sunflower seed butter. The primary ingredients are nut butter and sugar.