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1
Heavily butter or spray an 8-inch cake pan (or you can use an 8X8 square or a loaf pan). You can also line it with parchment or foil.
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2
Pour sugar, water, and kosher salt into a medium saucepan and place over low heat. Stir gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and insert a candy thermometer. Let the syrup boil without touching it while you prepare the almond butter.
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3
In a small saucepan, stir the vanilla extract into the almond butter and warm to about 130u00b0 F. (Heat it until it's very warm but you can still touch it-if you don't have another thermometer.)
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4
As the sugar syrup boils, the sugar will become more and more concentrated, and the temperature will increase more rapidly. Watch it carefully and don't stir it (or you will get crystallized sugar instead of hot syrup). As soon as the temperature reaches 260u00b0 F, take it off the heat. Gently fold the almond butter into the sugar syrup until it is barely mixed together. You may see streaks of syrup in the mixture; that's okay. (It's actually what you're going for.)
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5
Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and refrigerate it till it is firm to the touch. (Overnight is fine.)
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6
Melt chocolate and pour onto the halvah. Spread it evenly and sprinkle it with flaky sea salt and toasted sliced almonds. Put it back into the refrigerator to harden.
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7
To serve, slice or break it off into chunks.
