Super rich and fudgy chocolate brownies are topped with a swirl of tahini. These quck and easy brownies are a great twist on a classic fudgy brownie recipe. These brownies are especially delicious eaten cold from the fridge!
Hi hi! I am just popping in today to share this super easy fudgy tahini brownie recipe with you! This recipe is just a super simple twist on my peanut butter chunk brownies, but with a quick and easy tahini swirl on the top of the brownie rather than the peanut butter chunks. Tahini is essentially ground sesame paste and while it is mostly used in savoury applications it goes super well in sweet recipes too, especially paired with chocolate.
These tahini brownies are a super fun variation if you're looking to twist things up a little. I got fancy with my tahini swirl - read on and i'll show you how I did it!
Just want something plain? Go for my classic fudgy brownie recipe. You can't go wrong. I also include alllll my tips and tricks and best practices there for how to make perfect brownies at home.
Important ingredients in Tahini brownies and why I used them
There are a few brownie ingredients where the quality really does make a difference, unlike other baking recipes. Here's the important ones:
- Cocoa. I use Dutch process cocoa in most of my brownie recipes, but for these tahini brownies I switched it up and used black cocoa instead to give them a super dark and fudgy taste. Whatever you have on hand works great.
- Good quality chocolate. The quality of the chocolate in a brownie really makes a huge difference as it is the main flavour in the brownie. Use something that you would be happy to eat on its own. I like to use a 72% cocoa solids chocolate.
- Room temperature eggs. This is super important too - the key to getting that perfectly crinkly, crackly brownie top comes from whipping the sugar and eggs together until the sugar dissolves, and if you start with cold eggs this process will be much harder / won't work as well.
- Sugar. My brownie recipe uses both brown sugar and white sugar and the kind of white sugar that you use is important. I use caster sugar as our sugar in NZ is a lot grainer than what I used when I lived in the US. If your sugar isn't very finely grained and you want that crinkly top, use caster sugar. Because we are working by weight, the quantity of sugar doesn't change, 200g of sugar = 200g of sugar!
- Tahini. This recipe has a tahini swirl on the top - use a good quality tahini if you can! Make sure that if it has been sitting for a while that you give it a good stir.
The trick to a crinkly top brownie
The key to a crinkly brownie top is making sure that you whip your eggs and sugar together properly so that the sugar dissolves well. Make sure you give it enough time and use the correct ingredients.
I go heavily into depth on this if you would like to read more in my fudgy homemade brownie recipe
How to add a tahini swirl to brownies
As you can see in the images, these brownies have a perfect wee tahini swirl on the top of them. Because Tahini is quite an intense flavour I didn't think that it needed to also have chunks of it within the brownie - just a little swirl on top was perfect.
When I was testing the recipe I initially tried it with just a plain tahini swirl however I found that it was cracking quite badly and separating out from the batter and didn't look that great.
A simple solution - thicken the tahini slightly. I added in just a little powdered sugar, which thickened the tahini enough that it was able to make a beautiful swirl on top of the brownie. The tahini gives a subtle nuttiness to the brownie which is so delicious.
How did you make the pattern on top of the brownies?
Making the pattern that I used on the brownies is super easy - it is a basic feathered pattern. To do this, I popped my tahini into a piping bag and piped lines across the brownie, then took a sharp pointed knife (a cake tester or skewer also works) and dragged it across the lines, making a feathered pattern. You alternate the way that you drag the knife (up, then down, then up etc) and you get this super easy pattern.
If making a fancy pattern isn't for you then you can also just go for a super easy swirl on the brownie! Do whatever you like here.
How to tell when brownies are baked
You are much better off underbaking a brownie slightly than over baking. Over baked brownies can be sad and dry, and quite hard around the edges.
You want to look for the edges of the brownie to be fully set, and the middle of the brownie to look set. If you insert a skewer into the middle you want it to come out with just a few fudgy crumbs attached.
How to get a clean cut on brownies
I have a bunch of tips and tricks on this, and wrote basically a whole novel on it if you're after more information on how to get those perfect clean cuts on your brownies!
My Top Brownie Tips
- Get all my tips and tricks on how to get the perfect crinkly brownie top in my fudgy homemade brownie recipe.
- Plus, follow this easy Instagram video tutorial to cleanly cut homemade brownies!
Frequently Asked Questions
What tools and equipment do you use?
You can find a full list of the tools and equipment I use on my products page
Which pan did you use?
I use a 9" square non-stick pan for making my brownies that I line well with parchment so that they are easy to remove once baked.
How do you store tahini brownies?
Store your tahini brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or for up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also freeze them, well wrapped or tightly sealed, for up to 3 months.
Can I use a different shaped pan?
Yes- I have made this same recipe in a 10" round cake pan and it worked great. The baking time is about the same - just make sure that you use a piece of parchment extending over the sides to remove the brownie once baked.
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Super Fudgy Tahini Brownies (Done in 40 Minutes!)
- Author: Erin Clarkson
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Prep Time: 15 minutes -
Cook Time: 25 minutes
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Total Time: 40 minutes
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Yield: 16 servings -
Category: Brownies -
Method: baking -
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
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Super rich and fudgy chocolate brownies are topped with a swirl of tahini. These quick and easy brownies are a great twist on a classic fudgy brownie recipe. These are especially delicious eaten cold from the fridge!
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 135g dark chocolate (I used 72%), coarsely chopped
- 120g unsalted butter, cold from the fridge is fine
- 10g dutch process cocoa or regular unsweetened cocoa, sifted (I used black cocoa)
- 2 large eggs (about 100g not including shells)
- 135g caster sugar (granulated sugar works fine but will not give the super glossy brownie top)
- 65g light or dark brown sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 65g all-purpose flour, sifted
Tahini Topping
- 90g Tahini, at room temperature
- 30g powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Grease and line a 9” (23cm) square pan with parchment paper, making sure the parchment extends over the sides of the pan to form a ‘sling’. Clip down with binder clips if desired.
- In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water), combine the dark chocolate and butter. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth. Alternatively you can do this step in the microwave - microwave for 30 second increments, stirring well after each until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Sift the cocoa powder over top of the chocolate and butter mixture and stir until well combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, caster sugar, and brown sugar. Mix on medium to high speed with an electric handheld mixer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture has lightened and increased in volume. This step can also be done in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment.
- Add the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Add the salt and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour and incorporate by hand until the mixture is smooth and does not have any lumps.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and tap the pan on the counter a few times to ensure there are no air bubbles. Leave to sit for a minute or two then bang again to ensure there are no bubbles.
- Combine the tahini and powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth and lump free. Transfer to a piping bag, and snip a small hole in the end.
- Either swirl the tahini on top of the brownie as desired, or pipe horizontal lines quite close together on the brownie, then using a knife or toothpick, drag up and down the brownie, wiping in between to give a feathered look on top of the brownie.
- Bake the brownies for 22 to 28 minutes, checking after 20. You are looking for the edges of the brownie to be set and the middle to look set - if you insert a tester or skewer, there should be a few fudgy crumbs attached. You are better to under bake than over bake if you can.
- Remove the brownie from the oven and leave to cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled. Remove from the pan using the parchment sling.
- Cut into pieces using a sharp knife (I like to chill the brownies first to make this easier).
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
If you want the crinkly top on brownies it is very important to whip the eggs and sugar for a full 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. If your granulated sugar is on the coarser side, using caster sugar will help (see blog post copy for notes on caster sugar)
The post Super Fudgy Tahini Brownies (Done in 40 minutes!) appeared first on Cloudy Kitchen.
