Tahini Halva Swirled Brownies

Name: Tahini Halva Swirled Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, chopped into small pieces; 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), chopped, chopped into small pieces; 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder; ¼ teaspoon (1.2 g) baking soda; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 4 oz (115 g) tahini halva, crumbled or broken into chunks, crumbled into small pieces or broken into chunks; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw tahini (sesame paste)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fudgy, chewy brownies layered with tahini halva swirls that add a distinctive nutty, slightly sweet complexity. The halva creates pockets of creaminess throughout while maintaining the brownie's dense, satisfying crumb. Perfect for anyone who loves both chocolate and sesame flavors.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 28 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 13 min
Makes: 1 pan (12 brownies)

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Ingredients

12 servings

4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, chopped into small pieces
3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), chopped, chopped into small pieces
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon (1.2 g) baking soda
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
4 oz (115 g) tahini halva, crumbled or broken into chunks, crumbled into small pieces or broken into chunks
2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw tahini (sesame paste)

Equipment (7)

8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square baking pan
Parchment paper
Medium saucepan
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Wooden spoon or spatula
Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal
Use room-temperature eggs for even mixing

1
Melt chocolate and butter
- In a medium saucepan over very low heat, combine the chopped semi-sweet and dark chocolate with the cubed butter.
- Stir frequently with a wooden spoon, breaking up the chocolate as it softens, until completely melted and smooth—about 2–3 minutes.
- Do not let it get too hot; aim for a gentle warmth.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.
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Ready when: chocolate and butter are fully melted and smooth with no lumps
Tip: Do not overheat or the chocolate can seize. Keep the heat very gentle and stir constantly.
2
Whisk in sugars and eggs
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and whisk vigorously until combined.
- Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is thick and glossy.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract.
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Ready when: mixture is thick, glossy, and pale brown with no streaks of egg white
Tip: Room-temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a better emulsion. Whisk vigorously to build volume and incorporate air.
3
Mix in dry ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
- Fold this dry mixture into the chocolate mixture using a spatula, folding gently but thoroughly until no flour streaks remain.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: flour is fully incorporated with no white streaks visible
Tip: Folding rather than stirring keeps the batter light and prevents overdevelopment of gluten, which keeps brownies fudgy.
4
Spread first layer and add halva
- Pour about two-thirds of the batter into the prepared 8×8-inch pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Crumble the tahini halva into small to medium chunks and scatter them evenly over the batter.
- Sprinkle the raw tahini paste in small droplets across the surface (you can dot it with a spoon).
- Top with the remaining chocolate batter, spreading gently to cover the halva layer without fully mixing it in—some swirls should be visible.
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Ready when: halva and tahini are mostly covered but still create visible layers and swirls
Tip: Leave some halva chunks slightly exposed so they toast slightly during baking and create pockets of creamy texture.
5
Bake until set but fudgyOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 25–28 minutes.
- The brownies are done when the edges are set and slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan, the top looks dry and slightly cracked, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter, but not completely clean).
- The internal temperature at the center should reach about 205°F (96°C) if using a thermometer.
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Ready when: edges are set and pulling away from sides; toothpick shows a few moist crumbs in center; top is dry and cracked
Tip: Overbaking is the enemy of fudgy brownies. Check at 25 minutes and remember carryover cooking will continue as they cool.
6
Cool in pan, then slice
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool in the pan at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- This allows them to set properly and makes slicing cleaner.
- Once cooled, lift the parchment paper and brownies out of the pan using the side overhang, place on a cutting board, and cut into 12 equal squares (3×4 grid).
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Ready when: brownies are cool to the touch and firm enough to cut cleanly
Tip: A warm brownie will crumble when cut. Full cooling is essential for clean slices. You can chill for 1 hour in the fridge for even easier slicing.

Good to know

Tips

Quality chocolate matters: use chocolate labeled 'couverture' or with cocoa butter as the fat (not palm oil) for a smoother, richer brownie.
Tahini halva is a traditional Middle Eastern candy made from tahini (sesame paste) and sugar. It's crumbly and sweet with a distinct nutty flavor. Look for it in specialty grocers or Middle Eastern markets.
For deeper brownie texture, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which has a darker color and more rounded chocolate flavor than natural cocoa.
If your tahini halva is very hard, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before crumbling, or pulse it briefly in a food processor.

Make ahead

Bake the brownies up to 3 days ahead and store covered at room temperature. They taste even better the next day once flavors have developed.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: covered container or wrapped in foil for up to 4 days. Refrigerator: sealed container for up to 1 week (cold brownie crumbs slightly chewier). Freezer: individually wrapped brownies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving.

Substitutions

tahini halva, crumbled or broken into chunks → plain sesame halva (unadorned with chocolate) or an equal weight of crumbled halvah in your preferred variety. The flavor profile will shift slightly depending on what type of halva you use. Pistacio or other nut-based halvah are good alternatives.
raw tahini (sesame paste) → an additional 2 tablespoons crumbled tahini halva, or omit entirely for a less intense sesame flavor. The raw tahini helps disperse sesame flavor throughout. If omitted, the halva chunks will still provide nuttiness.
dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), chopped → an additional 3 oz (85 g) of semi-sweet chocolate. Brownies will be slightly sweeter and less intense. Use quality chocolate for best results.
unsweetened cocoa powder → an additional 2 oz (55 g) chopped dark chocolate melted into the chocolate mixture, reducing cocoa powder to 2 tablespoons. This creates a richer, more intensely chocolate flavor with slightly less structure.