Chocolate and tahini are a winning combination and these brownies are the proof.
Two whole cups of tahini - a paste made from ground toasted sesame seeds, which comes from middle eastern cuisine - disappear into these brownies making them moist and fudgy with a crackly, crinkly crust on the top.
Here are a few tips before you give this recipe a try:
Be mindful of the baking time so that you get a nice balance between cakey and gooey. The difference between a baking time of 23 minutes and 25 minutes can be significant! Fudgy and wet are not the same thing, so avoid under baking.
On the other hand, if you have a “hot” oven and it’s been 23 minutes, and you see the edges getting darker, pull them from the oven and let them rest.
Allow them to COMPLETELY cool before slicing, otherwise they can lose their integrity.
Cut them in bite size squares and eat with your hands as a mid-afternoon snack. Cut into larger squares or triangles and serve on a pretty plate with a scoop of ice cream for a more elegant presentation.
These brownies keep for several days in an airtight container. They also freeze well. Take one from the freezer and eat at the half-thawed stage or briefly warm in the microwave first.
To make the tahini flavour really shine make these a day in advance of serving. The colour and flavour of the tahini intensifies over time.
Tahini brownies, flourless (original recipe here)
2 cups tahini
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate (roughly chopped) or chocolate chips, optional
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper with enough over hang to allow you to lift brownies out of the pan.
In a bowl, stir together tahini, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Add cacao, baking soda, salt and stir until batter is formed.
Slowly fold in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, if using, and pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack of your oven.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, holding on to the ends of the parchment, carefully lift brownies out of pan by holding on to the ends.
Allow to completely cool before cutting.
