Name: Chocolate-Tahini Sauce
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients: 1¼ cups (8¾ ounces/248 grams) sugar; ⅔ cup whole milk; ½ teaspoon table salt; ⅓ cup (1 ounces/28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted; 3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled; ¼ cup tahini; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Why This Recipe Works

This sesame-enriched sauce is delicious poured over desserts and ice cream (a chocolate sauce for adult tastes). Fans of halvah will recognize its bittersweet flavor; everyone else will appreciate a change from chocolate–peanut butter or Nutella. Stirring in the tahini at the end with the butter guarantees a smooth sauce that's not greasy.

Instructions

Heat sugar, milk, and salt in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking gently, until sugar has dissolved and liquid starts to bubble around edges of saucepan, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add cocoa, and whisk until smooth.

Off heat, stir in chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk sauce until smooth and chocolate is fully melted. Whisk in butter, tahini, and vanilla until fully incorporated and sauce thickens slightly. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month; gently warm in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds, until pourable, before using.)