Think of this Mocha Tahini Milkshake as a flavored coffee drink. I almost named this Secret Ingredient Mocha Shake but I when I upped the tahini to 2Tbsp per drink, the secret was out.
My blog recipes lately have been leaning towards being more like templates for you to use as starting points, and then personalize to your particular taste. Actually, this is the way I do recipes in my home for myself, which is quite different from the way I do recipes for publications and my cookbooks –those are most definitely definite!
So scrumptiously luscious is this Mocha Tahini Milkshake (or beverage – reader’s choice), that I made and drank three samples, even though I was set after the first test. As a milkshake, this is thick and creamy, but not as thick and caloric as the infamous tahini shakes known to Philadelphians. While I don’t officially count calories, and I love the idea of Goldie’s shakes, I can’t afford to drink an entire day’s calories in one sitting.
If you follow me, you’ve noticed that I seem to have been on a tahini bender lately. Yes, but tahini tastes good and is super versatile. As a kid, tahini-based halvah was a special treat,I shared with my grandpa. Maybe this tahini-scented beverage reminds me of happy days with grandma Ida and Grandpa Joe. It is one of their plates that is holding the Mocha Tahini Milkshake and why-not, a couple of Chocolate Orange Sesame Truffles. My tahini of choice is Philly’s own Soom, but any good tasting tahini will do.
Here, you have three choices. Number 3 is my favorite, and worth waiting an hour to enjoy. You could make 2 times the recipe, drink one asap, and chill the other—I did just that. With this Mocha Tahini Milkshake, we are talking about only a portion that measures 3/4 cup. You know me, pushing huge portions of greens, beans, grains, veggies and small portions of sweets.
Vegan Mocha Tahini Milkshake
Think of this Tahini Mocha Milkshake as a template for a flavored coffee drink, as there are three different ways to serve it to choose from. I like to use Soom tahini in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces espresso, decaf is fine
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa
- 2 tablespoons tahini (I use Soom)
- 2 tablespoons plant milk, (almond, cashew, macadamia, or soy)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave nectar (start with less and you decide)
- 2 ice cubes
Instructions
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Whisk the still warm espresso, with the cocoa powder and tahini in a glass until you’ve got a smooth paste.
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Mix in the maple or agave, and add the plant milk.
Now you have a choice:
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Whisk all the ingredients together in a glass, add the ice cubes, and drink enjoy.
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Pour the ingredients into a blender with the ice cubes, pour into a glass and enjoy.
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Or, blend it with the ice cubes, per number 2, then pour into a glass and refrigerate for an hour or until it’s really cold. You will be rewarded with a thick and creamy milkshake.
Recipe Notes
Optional: Add 2-3 tsp coffee flavor liqueur such as Kahlua per serving.
Fran Costigan is an internationally recognized culinary instructor, recipe developer, and innovative vegan pastry chef, and the author of three cookbooks. A graduate of the New York Restaurant School and the Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a pastry chef in both traditional and vegan restaurant kitchens. Today Fran teaches her distinctive courses (including her Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®) throughout North America and Europe.