Bittersweet: A Brownie from the Palestine.

Somewhere between East and West, bitter and sweet, nostalgia and invention, this brownie was born. And it might just be my favourite kind of in-between.

There’s something deeply grounding about the way tahini settles into a brownie. It doesn’t shout for attention like chocolate chips or caramel swirls. Instead, it lingers—earthy, toasted, and slightly mysterious. And when it meets halva, all flaky and sweet, with a coffee in the mix, the result feels like memory: warm, layered, and just a little bit messy in the best way.

This Pan-Baked Tahini, Halva & Coffee Brownie was never meant to be fancy. It was meant to be eaten out of the pan, with a spoon if no one’s looking. It was meant to taste like the kitchen smells after a long morning of baking, when coffee is brewing on the stove and someone’s just unwrapped a slab of good halva and some bitter chocolate for dessert.

Growing up, halva wasn’t a treat so much as a staple—always sitting in the back of the fridge, wrapped in its crinkled wax paper. Tahini lived beside the olive oil, and cardamom coffee, strong and dark, was the scent that marked every family gathering. This brownie is a nod to all three.

It’s a one-bowl wonder. It’s also a little rebellious. It doesn’t rely on butter or vanilla extract to do the heavy lifting. Instead, it leans into the bitterness of coffee and chocolate, the richness of tahini, and the melting sweetness of halva that sinks into the batter and reappears in toasted edges.

What to expect:

A chewy edge. A gooey centre. Notes of sesame and espresso weaving through dark chocolate. Halva that bubbles and browns into pockets of sweet nuttiness. And just the right amount of salt to remind you that not all desserts are meant to be too sweet.

This brownie is best served warm, maybe with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of cream. Or just on its own, over the kitchen sink, on a quiet afternoon.

You’ll find this recipe in my upcoming cookbook BOUSTANY—available for pre-order now (link in my bio)

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