This Chocolate Tahini Tart is what chocolate dessert dreams are made of. Rich, decadent with a deep chocolate flavour, in the creaminess that a ganache brings. Mix this with a chewy almond crust and a hint of salt to balance out the flavours and textures – it will be the crowning glory to any celebration.
Each time we eat we have the opportunity to nourish our bodies and our souls. This Chocolate Tahini Tart ticks both those boxes. It’s pure indulgence on all levels.
At the moment when I create recipes I’m very mindful of what my body needs, particularly in relation to nourishing my hormones and my gut. Whilst I have come a long way in these areas, moving across the world, being plunged into lock down again and living with a lot of uncertainty has disrupted my internal environment.
I made this tart for myself for my birthday, to have when I caught up with a dear friend over zoom. I wanted something both indulgent but also nourishing to my body.
Dairy for many is inflammatory, particularly if you have inflammation through your gut or with skin issues including eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne. This is something I have removed from my diet with very positive effects. It doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on the indulgence of desserts such as this one.
The real hero of this Chocolate Tahini Tart is the coconut cream. This gives it both the creaminess of a traditional ganache but also adds in some wonderful health benefits.
Some of my favourite coconut cream benefits
- The differing fats present including saturated, medium chain (MCT) and long chain (LCT) triglycerdies and the presences of Lauric Acid, all of which can positively effect our gut bacteria, our weight and energy output.
- These fats have also been found to improve cholesterol markers, decreasing the inflammatory LDL and triglycerides found in the blood.
- Coconut can have a positive effect on stomach ulcers
- Helpful for fighting off bacteria and virius which is important for maintaining a healthy gut envirmonment.
If you are intrigued about the benefits of saturated, MCT’s, LCT and Lauric Acid head to the article I wrote “Why we need fats in our diet” for more detailed information.
Many tarts have a raw base but I wanted to experiment a little here and try a baked crust to give this tart a more traditional taste and texture. The result was amazing. It is subtle in flavour, with a hint of cacao, ensuring that it adds to the overall flavour of the tart rather than competing with it.
When a dessert is as rich and indulgent as this one, a little salt added to the chocolate ganache mixture both helps cut through the richness as well as bringing out the wonderful bitterness of a good quality dark chocolate. I highly suggest using a bitter chocolate of at least 80% not only for the flavour but for all the wonderful health benefits that this can bring – yes chocolate does have health benefits.
This really is one of those desserts that add to any celebration without spending hours fussing around in the kitchen.
Made with a chewy crust and filled with a tahini chocolate ganache this Chocolate Tahini Tart will be the crowning glory to any celebration.
What Do I Need?
- 2 cups of Almond Meal
- 1 Tablespoon of Cacao
- 3 Tablespoons of Butter (Coconut Oil)
- 1 Tablespoon of Raw Honey (Pure Maple Syrup)
Ganache
- 100g of 80% or above Chocolate
- 1/2 cup of Tahini
- 1/2 cup of Coconut Cream
- 2 Teaspoon of Pure Maple Syrup
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt
Let’s Do This!
1. Preheat the oven to 180c.
2. In a medium bowl combine the almond meal and the cacao.
3. Melt the butter and honey together, then pour into the almond cacao mixture. Mix well then pat into the bottom of a round tart tin. Ensure that you have this even and pushed up the sides.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust has firmed. Remove and let it cool completely.
5. In a small saucepan over low heat melt together the chocolate and tahini. Add in the maple syrup and salt.
6. Remove from the heat and gently stir in the coconut cream. Be careful not to over mix this as it can seperate.
7. Pour the ganache mix into the cooled crust and refrigerate for an hour.
8. Serve topped with activated buckwheat groats or sesame seeds.
This recipe is gluten and refined sugar free and diary free and vegan options.