Sesame Tahini Chocolate Cake
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
2 eggs or 2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds whisked together with 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons room temperature water
1 cup tahini
½ cup pure dark maple syrup
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup cocoa or cacao powder
⅓ cup roughly chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, black and/or white
¼ teaspoon flakey salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a medium cast iron skillet or round cake pan with 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs or flax eggs, remaining sesame oil, tahini, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix in the baking soda and salt and sift in the cocoa powder. Stir well to combine, then fold in the chocolate.
Transfer the batter to the skillet and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and flakey salt on top.
Bake for around 35 minutes until the top of the cake no longer deflates when you gently tap with your fingers. Let cool before serving. Serve straight out of the skillet or pan or invert onto a plate.
VARIATIONS
Add spice like cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne pepper, sweet smoked paprika
Add flavor like rose water or orange blossom water
Use a different nut/seed butter
Make the batter into cookies
Mix more sesame seeds into the batter
Double the recipe and make two for a layer cake
Use white chocolate, butterscotch chips etc
Coconut Chocolate Pudding/Sauce/Mousse
Adapted from The Kitchn
1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk, divided
1/4 cup pure dark maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
5 ounces semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips - I use Lily's Stevia Sweetened Baking Chips), coarsely chopped (a generous 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted, to garnish, optional
Shake the can of coconut milk as it can settle. In a small bowl, whisk together half of the coconut milk, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and espresso powder.
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the rest of the coconut milk, maple syrup, and salt to a simmer over low heat. Don't allow it to boil fully.
Give the cornstarch mixture one more good whisking then slowly add it to the hot pan of coconut milk, whisking vigorously. Keep whisking on low heat until the pudding almost reaches a simmer once again and begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the chocolate and vanilla. Keep stirring until the chocolate melts the mixture is smooth and silky.
Serve warm with cake or pour pudding in a separate bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours. To prevent a skin from forming, press plastic wrap up against the surface of the pudding.
Serve with a dusting of toasted coconut flakes. If covered in an airtight container, pudding can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. It will firm up quite a bit once chilled; give it a good, firm stir before serving as pudding, or for a warm sauce, reheat on low, whisking in a splash of water or coconut to loosen, until warm.
VARIATIONS
Add spice like cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne pepper, sweet smoked paprika
Add flavor like rose water or orange blossom water
Once it firms in the fridge, use it as frosting