Halva refers to various local confection recipes in West Asia and its vicinity.The name is used for referring to a huge variety of confections, with the most geographically common variety based on toasted semolina.]

Halva is also popular in Central and South Asia, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Malta, North Africa and the Horn of Africa. Halva can be kept at room temperature during non-summer months with little risk of spoilage.