Tahini is a versatile product that is just as at home in savoury cooking as the dessert counter, and bakers and chocolatiers are reaching for it everywhere from babka to bonbons. SOC Chef's organic tahini is 100% stone-ground sesame and nothing else, giving you that toasty, nutty-bitter, gently savoury-sweet note in a generous 1kg tub. With no added sugar, it works much like a nut butter, lending richness, body and a grown-up depth rather than sweetness.

Sesame's charm sits in its balance – savoury enough to cut through sugar, rich enough to carry chocolate, and endlessly happy alongside honey, dates and citrus. Stir it through a base to add warmth and a little structure, or ripple it across the top for that signature marbled finish.

How to Use Tahini Paste

Because it is pure sesame, the oil separates in the tub, so give it a thorough stir before you weigh it out. From there it is wonderfully versatile: fold it into doughs, batters, ganache and caramel for a savoury-sweet depth; loosen it with a splash of oil or warm cream when you want a pourable swirl or drizzle; or blend it with icing sugar and melted couverture for a soft, halva-style praline. It's unsweetened and earthy like a nut butter, so it adds richness and a touch of structure rather than sweetening your mix.

A little brings gentle warmth, while more brings an unmistakable toasted-sesame character, so build it up to taste as you go.

Pairings and Ideas

Tahini is having its moment across bakery and patisserie, turning up in everything from swirled brownies to enrobed caramels and grown-up gianduja. It pairs beautifully with dark and milk chocolate, honey, dates, halva, sesame, citrus, pistachio and cinnamon, and loves a contrast of soft and crunchy textures. A few starting points:

• Tahini and dark chocolate chunk cookies
• Tahini and halva swirled brownies
• Tahini and date babka
• Milk chocolate tahini bonbons
• Dark chocolate and tahini truffles rolled in toasted sesame
• Tahini gianduja bars
• Halva style tahini caramels enrobed in dark chocolate
• Tahini and honey drizzle for loaf cakes and breakfast buns