Spicy Tahini Hot Chocolate

Spicy Tahini Hot Chocolate recipe
makes 2 small servings or 1 large serving

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds that's popular in Middle Eastern cooking.  It's become a staple in my pantry for making creamy sauces because I love its smooth texture and high calcium content, but I often forget I have an open jar in the fridge and end up buying a new one.  So much tahini!  So I decided to use up some of my tahini by taking it into the dessert realm.  Hello Tahini Hot Chocolate.  Non-dairy milks often make very watery hot chocolate compared to fat-rich dairy milk so the addition of tahini here makes a richer and creamier beverage with a slightly nutty edge.  I love spice in my hot chocolate so I also added cinnamon, cayenne, and ground ginger, but feel free to leave out if you aren't feeling as spicy.

1 cup of unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used cashew)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon tahini, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of cayenne
1/4 of a 3.5 ounce chocolate bar (70% cocoa) OR 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips

1. In a small pot, heat milk, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of tahini, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ground ginger, and cayenne.  Whisk until smooth.  Once heated, break apart chocolate bar and whisk in or add chocolate chips.  Taste and add more maple, tahini, or chocolate if desired.

2. Pour into 2 small tea cups or 1 mug and drizzle with a tiny extra bit of tahini if desired.