Sugar and water dissolve, then boil to the soft-ball stage (118°C). Off the heat, the syrup is whisked into well-stirred tahini with cardamom and rose water; pistachios fold in. The mix pours into a lined tin; sets in the fridge overnight. The crystallisation of the sugar against the sesame fat gives halva its signature flaky-melting bite. Slabs cut into thick squares or fingers. Eat with strong coffee; never warm (it goes oily).
A simple flour-and-water dough rests for 30 minutes. Stretches paper-thin on an oiled surface (filo-style). Brushed with melted samna; folded into a long strip; coiled into a flat round; rolled flat. Pan-baked or oven-baked at 200°C until darkly gold. Plunged briefly into hot saffron-cardamom-rose sugar syrup. Topped with thick clotted cream (geymar, or substitute Devonshire / Cornish clotted cream).
A buttery cardamom-and-nigella dough enriched with milk and a touch of yeast (yeast gives a tender bite, not a rise) wraps around a soft date paste cooked down with butter, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Walnut-sized balls flatten, fill, fold and press into a klaicha mould (or score the top with the back of a fork in a herringbone pattern). Brushed with egg yolk and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Baked at 180°C until pale gold (not brown, Iraqi klicha stay light, almost biscuit-coloured).