Usually during this time of year, every second of my day is spent flitting from one activity to another on top of my day jobs. From holiday activities and party planning to volunteering and traveling, let’s just say I usually run on empty this time of year, using loads of under-eye concealer to disguise the dark circles from a chronic and severe lack of sleep. For the first time in decades, most of these activities have come to a halt. While it is easy to sink into depression, thinking of all of the opportunities lost this year, it’s important to use this extra time for inner growth and deeper connection with others. Whether spending more quality time with the family, supporting small businesses whenever possible while Christmas shopping, or creating new recipes, I have managed to fill up any spare time with meaningful activities. In today’s blog, I want to share with you my most recent kitchen creation that sprouted during this creative time, Chocolate Tahini Tarts with a Date and Walnut crust:
This holiday recipe was in collaboration with Ziyad Brand products, one of my favorite Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food companies of all time! Their products are sourced from exceptional purveyors all around the Middle East and beyond, and I can say their tahini in particular has always taken center stage in my cupboard. This tahini was the true inspiration for this recipe, which might surprise many people, as most associate tahini with hummus. In truth, tahini is interchangeable with peanut butter, so I love to use this rich paste in salad dressings, sauces, and of course, dessert. The simple combination of chocolate and tahini is so satisfying, you won’t even miss any extra sugar or butter. Ziyad’s smooth date paste made an excellent binding for the gluten free walnut crust, adding an extra layer of sweetness using fiber and iron rich dates. This tart is no bake, egg free, and easily vegan if you replace the cream with coconut cream. You can store the tart in the refrigerator for up to a week, and serve whenever you are ready to entertain, or of course eat if yourself! For the full cooking tutorial, check out my new video below:
- Chocolate Tahini Tarts With Date Walnut Crust
- For Crust:
- ½ package Ziyad Date Paste – or 7 ounces pureed dates: https://amzn.to/3r4OVzy
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- 2 tbsp almond, cashew, or sunbutter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Filling
- 4 oz.milk, white, or dark chocolate (depending on your preference)
- 1/4 cup Ziyad tahini Sauce: https://amzn.to/38earsK
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream for a vegan version)
- Topping
- Slivered almonds
- In a food processor, grind the walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg and pulse until the walnuts are coarse. Add the dates and nut butter, and pulse until the mixture forms a pliable dough. Press the walnut mixture into 4 mini tart pans, or one 9 inch pie or tart pan. For the filling, melt the chocolate and cream in a double broiler and stir until melted. You can also use the microwave by setting it at 30 seconds, stirring, then microwaving 30 seconds more. Let the mixture cool about 10 minutes, then pour over the date walnut crust. Top with the slivered almonds and refrigerate at least 2 hours to set.
