Do you know halva, the candy? This is sorta like that. Tahini is sesame paste and it goes well with sugar, much like peanuts make a lovely butter. In my search for a vaguely different flavor profile, but comfortingly nice, here are tahini brownies.

Chocolate Tahini Brownies 

4 tablespoons butter plus more for pan

110g bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

25g black cocoa powder

3 large eggs

225g granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

180g tahini, stir before measuring

50g flour

Heat the oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 pieces of parchment with excess hanging over the edges on all sides. Coat with cooking spray

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and cocoa, whisking until smooth.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in the tahini. Fold in the flour until just incorporated. Transfer 1/2 cup of the mixture to a small bowl for the top swirl. Add the chocolate mixture to the remaining egg-tahini mixture and fold until fully combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Dollop the reserved tahini mixture over the top, then swirl the batters together. Bake until the edges are set but the center remains moist, 28 to 32 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan and cool on the rack for at least another 30 minutes; the longer they cool, the better they cut. Cut into 2-inch squares.