Gluten Free Tahini Chocolate Brownies
Who doesn’t love chocolate? I know I do, and I know my boys certainly do too. But when you bring in a little spice into the mix, you’re now talking mind-blowing, taste-tingling, Earth-shattering deliciousness all wrapped up in a velvety smooth envelope called a chocolate brownie. This recipe is gluten free as an added bonus.
Chocolate and tahini have health benefits for you and your family. Cocoa is full of compounds called flavonoids, which are found naturally in the plant kingdom. The health benefits of compounds like these are one of the reasons why I promote eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. The particular class of flavonoids found in cocoa is called flavanols. These special flavonoids help the blood in the arteries from clogging, which reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The one thing you need to look for in your chocolate is a high cocoa content. Dark chocolate containing at least 70 percent cocoa or higher is better. Forget milk chocolate or white chocolate as they have virtually none of the health benefits associated with dark chocolate.
Tahini made from sesame seeds is a wonderful source of calcium, manganese, the amino acid methionine, and omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids. Tahini’s relatively high levels of calcium and protein make it a useful addition to vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as to raw food diets when eaten in its unroasted form. Compared to peanut butter, tahini has higher levels of fiber and calcium and lower levels of sugar and saturated fats.
Gluten Free Tahini Chocolate Brownies
Makes 8 large or 16 small squares
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, grated
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
3 tablespoons tahini, divided
1 tablespoon Thai chili sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 large eggs
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon bittersweet chocolate chips
Line an 8×8” baking dish and Pre-heat oven to 350’F
How to make:
Sieve the cornstarch and cocoa powder.
Slowly melt the grated chocolate, oil, 1 tablespoon of tahini, chili sauce and honey in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering hot water, until smooth.
Using an electric mixer on a medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until light, fluffy and double in volume, about 4 minutes.
Reduce the speed and add the melted chocolate mixture, vanilla and salt, blend until smooth, then increase the speed to medium high and mix until the batter is thick and stiff, about 1 minute.
Scape the brownie mixture into the prepared tin, dollop the remaining tahini and chocolate chips over the batter, then drag a skewer or toothpick through to swirl. Pop the tin in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, insert a skewer into the center of the brownie, if it comes out with a few moist crumbs then remove from the oven.
Let cool for 10 minutes then remove from the tin and cut the brownie into 8 or 16 even squares and enjoy.