Velvety tahini hot chocolate with cardamom

Don’t know about you, but I could live with just tahini. It has the amazing nuttiness that gives this tahini hot chocolate a yummy flavour with almond milk. No need for any extra sweeteners or additives when making this at home. Did you know that there are several types of tahini? I share my tips on choosing the perfect tahini to make the best out of this homemade beverage.

I honestly think that dark chocolate is way better when making hot beverages, like my dark hot chocolate recipe or homemade dark hot chocolate mix, might hint. But you can for sure try this out with milk chocolate or even white chocolate,

What is tahini actually?

Tahini is a sesame paste made with sesame seeds, with possible added vegetable oil. The process is quite similar to almond butter, so the seed is roasted and then ground until it releases oils and forms a paste that finally becomes quite liquid.

In a quality tahini, the percentage of added oils is quite low. Try to find a tahini that has only one ingredient, or one that clearly states the ratio of oil to sesame.

Which tahini to choose and what and where to look for

It is not that simple to choose a tahini. Though many shops have a quite narrow selection when it comes to tahini, there are a few things that affect the final result of the recipe, so choose your tahini well:

Roasted vs raw tahini

It is a matter of preference if you want your tahini made of roasted or unroasted sesame seeds. Roasted sesame seeds give a deeper and more intense flavour than unroasted, and that is why I recommend them for this recipe.

Hulled or unhulled sesame seeds

Sweeter and lighter tahini is a result of hulled tahini (sesame seeds without the kernel of the seed), while it loses some calcium and fiber in the process. Because of its creamy flavor, I recommend using tahini made with hulled sesame seeds in this tahini hot chocolate recipe.

The counterpart, the unhulled sesame seeds, gives a crunchier, more bitter flavor and dark color. Yes, it might be a healthier option, but it doesn’t make this hot chocolate a delight to drink.

Where to buy tahini

Look for tahini, the sesame paste, from your local grocery store on the condiment aisle. If you are unable to find it, head to an Arab, Asian, or ethnic food store, and you will find it for sure.

More recipes using tahini

If you are not regularly using tahini, here are a few recipes where you can use up your jar of tahini!

• Moroccan Sesame Cookies with Honey (Halwa Chebakia)
• Homemade Apricot Granola

Ingredients you need for tahini hot chocolate

• Dark chocolate: choose 44-75% chocolate. I most often grab the 45% cooking chocolate for this recipe. You can use honey to sweeten the darker chocolate.
• Milk: If you want a more luxurious hot chocolate, use whole milk (or even cream!). For more daily use, choose skimmed milk. Pick almond milk when you want to have extra nuttiness for your tahini hot chocolate.
• Tahini: Choose a quality tahini that is reasonably liquid. For the best taste, choose a roasted tahini that is made with hulled sesame seeds. It is nuttier in flavor, creamier in texture, and lighter in colour.
• Cardamom: If you use cardamom pods, open them and crush the sesame seeds before sprinkling on the top.
• Cinnamon powder

You can find the exact measurements on the recipe card.

Tools you may need

• Sauce pan, with a thick bottom (prevents the milk burning)
• A ball whisk
• Measuring spoons
• Cutting board and a knife
• Hot chocolate mugs

How to tweak the tahini hot chocolate recipe

• If you prefer to have a vegan tahini hot chocolate look for a higher chocolate percentage like 75% then the better are the chances that you’ll find a vegan one. Use the almond milk instead of the whole milk and sweeten with sugar or syrup, and you are good to go.
• If cardamom is not your friend, try out cinnamon, vanilla sugar or even a hing tof chili powder instead.

Step-by-step how to make tahini hot chocolate

Gather all the ingredients, chop the dark chocolate ready and follow the instructions.

Step one: Heat the milk

Warm milk in a pot until it is almost simmering turn off the heat.

Step two: Combine rest of the ingredients

Add chopped dark chocolate and tahini. Stir slowly until chocolate has melted completely.

PRO TIP: Don’t panic if it first seems that tahini will not melt into the hot chocolate and leaves some not pretty looking dots. Tahini has plenty of oil, so it will take a bit of time to incorporate. When you heat the hot chocolate, while stirring, it will eventually look beautifully dark coloured and homogeneous.

Step three: Garnish

Pour thaini hot chocolate into the mugs. Garnish with some roasted sesame seeds, and a dash cinnamon and cardamom.

Serving ideas

This recipe you can serve from a big mug for one or in two smaller cups. The tahini hot chocolate is perfect to dunk in the traditional rye gingerbreads!

Share your tahini hot chocolate with me!

If you have tried this recipe, I would love to know how it turned out! Tag me on Instagram with @blue.tea.tile or tell me more in the comments below!

You can find the recipe card below!

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