Black Sesame Halva Truffles
Fudgy, dark chocolate truffles built on nutty black sesame paste and tahini, with the crumbly sweetness of halva. Rolled in toasted black sesame and cocoa for a bittersweet, Middle Eastern-meets-Japanese confection. No oven needed.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 25 min
- Total
- 2 hr 3 min
- Makes
- 24 truffles (about 1 inch / 2.5 cm wide, roughly 19 g each)
Steps
Before you start
- This is a no-bake recipe; you only need a stovetop, so no oven preheating is required.
- Stir both sesame pastes well in their jars; the oil separates and settles on top, and you need an even, smooth texture.
- Chop the chocolate finely so it melts evenly and gently.
- Measure everything before you begin. The mixture starts to set as it cools.
- Plan on 1 hour of chilling for the mixture, then 20 minutes for the finished truffles.
Toast the sesame seeds
- Place the black sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir constantly for 2–3 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate and let cool completely.
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Ready when: Seeds smell nutty and a few may pop. Black seeds are hard to judge by color, so go by smell.
Tip: Black sesame goes from toasted to bitter fast. Remove from heat at the first strong nutty aroma.
Set up coatings
- Put the cooled toasted seeds in one shallow bowl and the sifted cocoa powder in another.
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate
- Bring about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water to a bare simmer in a saucepan.
- Set a heatproof bowl with the chopped chocolate over it, without touching the water.
- Stir gently with a spatula for 3–5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat when about three-quarters melted and stir off the heat to finish.
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Ready when: Chocolate is completely smooth and glossy with no lumps, and warm but not hot to the touch.
Tip: Keep water away from the chocolate; even a drop can make it seize and turn grainy.
Mix the sesame base
- In a medium bowl, stir the black sesame paste, tahini, honey, vanilla and salt with a spatula for about 1 minute until uniform and glossy.
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Ready when: No streaks of lighter tahini or pools of oil remain.
Tip: If the oil has separated in the jars, stir it back in before measuring.
Add chocolate and sugar
- Scrape the warm melted chocolate into the sesame base and fold until combined.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar in 2 additions, stirring after each, until you have a thick, fudgy dough.
- It will feel soft and slightly sticky.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick, uniform and dark, with no dry pockets of sugar.
Tip: If it looks greasy or split, stir vigorously for 30 seconds; it will usually come back together as it cools.
Chill the mixture
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
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Ready when: The mixture is firm like cold cookie dough and holds a scooped shape when pressed.
Tip: If it is still sticky after an hour, chill another 15 minutes.
Scoop and roll
- Scoop level portions of about 19 g (a scant tablespoon) onto the lined pan to make 24.
- Roll each between your palms into a smooth ball.
- If it softens from your hands, rest it in the fridge for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth with no cracks.
Tip: Rinse your hands under cold water and dry them between batches to keep the chocolate from melting.
Coat the truffles
- Roll 12 truffles in the toasted black sesame seeds, pressing gently so they stick.
- Roll the other 12 in the cocoa powder.
- Return them to the pan.
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Ready when: Each truffle is evenly covered with no bare patches.
Set and serve
- Refrigerate the coated truffles for 15 minutes to set, then let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Truffles are firm on the outside and fudgy when bitten.
Good to know
Tips
- Use a good-quality dark chocolate bar rather than chips; chips contain stabilizers that can make the truffles stiffer.
- Weigh the pastes. Cup measures vary with how thick and oily the paste is.
- Fine sea salt balances the sweetness and brings out the roasted sesame flavor, so don't skip it.
- For a more authentic halva crumble, fold 2 tbsp (about 18 g) of crushed plain halva into the mixture before chilling.
Make ahead
Roll and coat the truffles up to 5 days ahead and keep them refrigerated. Re-roll the cocoa ones in a little fresh cocoa before serving if the coating looks damp.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours for serving. Refrigerator: airtight container with parchment between layers, up to 2 weeks. Freezer: up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight, then stand at room temperature 5–10 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
- black sesame paste → additional tahini plus 2 tbsp (16 g) finely ground toasted black sesame seeds. Flavor will be milder and slightly less intense; mix until smooth.
- honey → maple syrup or date syrup. Same amount; date syrup gives a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- dark chocolate (65–70% cocoa) → semisweet chocolate. The truffles will be sweeter and slightly softer; chill a little longer.
- unsweetened cocoa powder → matcha powder or kinako (roasted soybean flour). Use the same amount for a Japanese-style coating.