Chocolate Espresso Tahini Cups
I will admit, this isn’t the most nutritious recipe I’ve posted, but it sure is delicious. Although it’s better for everyone to avoid sugar as much as possible, sometimes it’s nice to have a bite of something sinful. These chocolate espresso cups are so rich and flavorful, you can be satisfied with just one or two (I promise).
I did attempt to make them somewhat nutritious though! Tahini contains calcium and other good minerals, and I used coconut sugar in the tahini dough. I opted for vegan chocolate chips to avoid dairy, but of course they still contain refined sugar. You win some, you lose some. Just make this a “rarely” dessert — maybe a holiday or special occasion-only treat.
Whatever your excuse is to make these, I’m sure you will find that they really hit the spot. The bitter espresso tahini dough is complemented nicely by the sweet chocolate, which is further accented by a hint of sea salt sprinkled on top. Package these in a pretty box, and you have yourself a nice gift (forget Godiva!).
Chocolate Espresso Tahini Cups
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup tahini (ground sesame seed paste)
- 2 1/4 t. coconut sugar
- 2 t. instant espresso powder
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- Sea salt (garnish)
- 3/4 cups vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate, but I prefer the sweet to balance out the bitterness of the espresso)
Directions:
- In a cup or small bowl, stir together the tahini, coconut sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until well mixed. Place in the freezer to firm up for easier handling (15+ minutes).
- Line a mini muffin tin with mini muffin papers. In a microwave-safe cup or double boiler, melt the chocolate chips (be careful not to burn them!). Spoon about half a teaspoon of chocolate into each cup, spreading it so that it completely covers the bottom of each cup in a thin layer.
- Remove tahini mixture from freezer and, working quickly, divide it into 12 marble-sized balls. Distribute the dough balls into each cup, pressing each one down slightly with your finger. Be sure to leave a little space around each ball for the chocolate to flow to the bottom disc of chocolate if you want the cups to be pretty. If not, just squish them down in there 🙂
- Top each cup with another 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of melted chocolate, spreading it so that the surface is as flat as possible. Before the chocolate sets, add a very small pinch of sea salt to the top of each cup. If you need the cups to set quickly, place pan in the fridge or freezer.
Yum!