These chocolate tahini balls are the ultimate healthy treat

It’s wonderful to enjoy a decadent treat that is also doing you good. These very rich balls combine the indulgence of chocolate with a hint of nuttiness for a healthier and more elegant version of the American chocolate and peanut butter combo. Your hands will get chocolatey if you roll them, but it’s the most effective method.

Chocolate Tahini Balls

Prep: 30 minutes, plus 20 minutes chilling
Cook: 10 minutes

Makes: about 20 balls

Ingredients
200g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
200g well-mixed tahini
3-4 tbsp organic sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp fine sea salt
sesame seeds or cocoa powder, for rolling (optional)

Method
Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Cook over gently simmering water until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and add the tahini, sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until combined.

If you have silicone chocolate moulds, spoon the mix into the moulds (it makes about 20) and freeze until ready to serve.

If you are rolling them by hand, pop the mixture in the freezer to harden for 15-20 minutes. Break the mixture up with a blunt knife and roll into balls in your hands. They are sticky, but they do hold together. Place on a plate for serving or, if you like, roll in sesame seeds or cocoa powder. Store the balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Extract from Super Grains Nuts & Seeds by Renée Elliott (Pavilion Books, approx €11.50). Photograph by Karen Thomas.