Tahini Date Chocolate Mousse
Silky chocolate mousse gets nutty depth from tahini and natural sweetness from soft dates.
Prep: 15 · Cook: 20 · Total: 35 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (116 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
An original no-bake dessert that uses dates and tahini to deepen bittersweet chocolate mousse.
Story
Casey wanted a chocolate dessert with a little more pantry magic, so tahini and dates joined the bowl. The sesame flavor makes the chocolate taste deeper, while the dates bring caramel notes without making the mousse heavy. Serve it in small glasses and it feels special enough for company, but the blender keeps the cleanup easy.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pitted Medjool dates, chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt, plus more for serving
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled
- Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- Place the dates in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water, and let stand for 10 minutes until very soft.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then remove from the heat.
- Blend the softened dates with their soaking liquid, tahini, cocoa, espresso, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth.
- Add the melted chocolate and blend again until glossy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Whip the chilled cream to soft peaks, fold half into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the rest.
- Spoon into six small glasses, chill for at least 20 minutes, and finish with sesame seeds and a pinch of flaky salt.
Chef Tips
- Use soft Medjool dates for the smoothest mousse.
- Blend while the chocolate is still warm so it emulsifies cleanly.
- Do not overwhip the cream or the mousse will lose its soft texture.
- Chill the glasses while the mousse blends for a faster set.
Cook's Notes
- Soak dates until very soft.
- Blend chocolate mixture until glossy.
- Fold cream gently for an airy finish.