For creamy and decadent Shavuot dishes, try tahini
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
_Amy Zitelman co-founded Soom Foods with her sisters Shelby and Amy in 2013. Good timing: they focused on top-quality tahini just as the Middle Eastern ingredient craze — sumac! silan! zaatar! — was spreading across restaurant dining rooms and supermarket shelves. Philadelphia chef Michael Solomonov of Zahav and, well, everything, gave them their first order, and they’ve been selling hundreds of thousands pounds of the stuff to consumers and restaurants ever since.
These recipes incorporate tahini into Shavuot dairy dishes, creating a kind of double, but balanced, creaminess._
Pumpkin Tahini Cheesecake Bites
Luckily, you’ll never have to choose between a pumpkin pie or cheesecake again! These Pumpkin Tahini Cheesecake Bites are a healthier version of the classic dessert, but you’d never know it. Full of nutty richness and layered sweetness, these pumpkin tahini cheesecake bites are the perfect treat for fall entertaining.
Recipe developed for Soom by Jamie Vespa of Dishing Out Health.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp melted butter (or ghee)
1 (8-oz.) block full-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
2 tbsp Soom Tahini
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
Soom Silan Date Syrup
Whipped cream
DIRECTIONS: Yields 18 mini cheesecakes
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Preheat oven to 350F. Line two 12-count muffin pans with 18 liners. There will be 6 empty.
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Prepare crust by combining almond flour, brown sugar, and melted butter or ghee in a bowl. Mix ingredients using your hands to press together to form a sandy consistency.
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Divide crust into prepared liners with about 1 1/2 tbsp of crust per mini cheesecake. Press into the bottom and slightly up the sides. Pre-bake for 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake filling. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese that is softened to room temperature and granulated and brown sugar to the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is smoothly combined.
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Next, add Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, tahini, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and beat until fully combined.
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On medium speed, add room temperature eggs one at a time and beat just until combined. Divide the batter between all the liners on the cooled and baked crusts.
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Bake until the cheesecakes are set, about 20 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours.
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Once chilled, add toppings of choice like silan and whipped cream and serve. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Sister Pie’s Lisa Ludwinski’s Tahini Poppy Seed Dressing
Need a dressing that does it all? Sister Pie’s Lisa Ludwinski’s Tahini Poppy Seed Dressing is a jack of all trades! This irresistibly creamy dressing is balanced with a touch of honey and the mild bite from tahini. Perfect for salads or coleslaw, it’s a must-have to add excitement to any weeknight meal!
Sister Pie’s Lisa Ludwinski’s Tahini Poppy Seed Dressing Courtesy of Soom Foods
INGREDIENTS:
2 cloves garlic, minced with ¼ tsp kosher salt
1¾ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup Soom Tahini
2 Tbsp ice-cold water
2 Tbsp thick, plain yogurt
1 Tbsp mild honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
¼ cup + 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
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In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, ice-cold water, yogurt, honey, mustard, salt, and poppy seeds.
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Slowly stream in the olive oil, whisking until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
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To store, transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
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