DARK CHOCOLATE TAHINI CUPS

These homemade chocolates were inspired by Oded Brenner and his focus on the whole cacao fruit. They are satisfying and delicious like a good cup of espresso. Slightly bitter, creamy and exploding with dark, dark chocolate flavor. Remember to have all your ingredients at room temperature before mixing, or the chocolate will cool down too quickly and you won't be able to pour it.

Makes 24 small “cups”

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Blue Stripes Urban Cacao 100% Cacao Chocolate Chips

cup plus 2 tablespoons room temperature tahini (not salted)

3 tablespoons date syrup (to sweeten) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste, like Nielsen-Massey 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Fresh grated nutmeg, about 1/16th teaspoon Pinch of fine-grain sea salt

Topping:

Maldon sea salt

Candied ginger, cut into slivers (optional) Unsalted pistachios (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Set a mini-cupcake tin with mini-cupcake papers.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or on the chocolate-melting setting of a microwave. Meanwhile, mix the tahini, date syrup, vanilla paste, cardamom, nutmeg and salt. Add the melted chocolate slowly, and mix well until completely combined.

Divide mixture among the 24 mini-cupcake papers. Immediately sprinkle each with a bit of Maldon sea salt. You can stop there or add the candied ginger and nuts. If adding, place a couple of pistachio nuts on top of each chocolate cup, and then a sliver or two of the candied ginger.

Place the cups uncovered in the refrigerator to set. Remove when hard, and place in an airtight container, separating the layers with parchment paper.

I like these cups both cold and at room temperature. Enjoy!

ELIZABETH KARMEL VIA AP This recipe of chocolate tahini cups was made with 100 percent cacao chocolate chips. The cacao fruit and pulp can be used for cooking.