How Tahini Is Used To Balance Cocktail Flavours; Six Variations Below
If you are a home cook fond of trying out new recipes, you have for sure experimented with Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in your kitchen to arrive at your own special formula of making a delicious tahini. Often used as one of the core ingredients in making hummus, tahini is crafted from toasted sesame seeds and resembles a creamy paste which packs a very intense flavour. Tahini is also often served as a dip accompanying baba ganoush and halva and goes really well as a dressing for pickled beets and other vegetables.
Mixologists have been taking a closer look at tahini as an interesting addition to cocktail recipes because of the texture that it brings to any dish. The slightly toasted sesames are crushed into a creamy paste but still retain some of their grainy quality which gives the mix a very appealing look. When added to cocktails, not only does it introduce a creaminess and a toasty feel into the drink but it also helps to counteract overpowering citrusy or tangy flavours to arrive at a very balanced mix. So, bartenders have started incorporating tahini as an essential ingredient while crafting eclectic mixes to elevate the flavours in the drink while giving it a very complete feel.
Here are six cocktail recipes which you can try making at home the next time you make a batch of tahini:
Sababa Cocktail
According to Food and Wine, this cocktail was created especially for Hanukkah and makes use of tahini as a prominent ingredient for a rounded flavour and a dense mouthfeel. The nutty notes of tahini paired with pineapple and lime juice come together to add a tartness as well as a richness to the drink that makes it very hard to resist. Crafted using a generous 30 ml pour of premium quality white rum, the drink would remind one of the Caribbean shores and the Mediterranean seas, all in one gulp.
Tahini Old Fashioned
A lot of mixologists are giving this classic cocktail a nicely inventive spin by introducing the robust flavours of tahini into its traditional recipe. The drink is crafted using premium bourbon, bitters and orange but with the addition of this sesame dip, it acquires a slightly creamier depth otherwise missing from the classic recipe. You can also add a bit of cognac to the drink if you want to pack it with a slightly enhanced kick.
Tahini White Russian
This is one of the most well-known concoctions crafted using the creamy sesame mix. Tahini is added to a generous 30 ml pour of Ketel One Premium Distilled Vodka along with some generous amounts of coffee liqueur before finishing it off with whipped cream. The nutty and sweet notes of tahini play off the bitterness in the coffee liqueur for a truly decadent finish. You can garnish this drink with black and white sesame which makes the cocktail pop.
Tahini Martini
Out of all the martini variations out there, this one is as unusual as it is pleasing. You can swap the classic gin for a spirited Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka and add to this some nougat liqueur, honey or date honey and a helping of tahini. The drink acquires really sweet and creamy notes that are only elevated by the presence of a premium distilled vodka. This is the perfect mix for an intimate informal gathering hosted at home.
Tahini And Honey Flip
A cocktail with a flip essentially means you add a whipped egg white into the drink for its frothy elements. You can craft this decadent cocktail using premium Captain Morgan Dark Rum with a generous mix of a spoonful of tahini, some honey and a bit of nutmeg powder for a finishing touch. The cocktail is the perfect addition to your roster of festive drinks because of its rather merry ingredient list.
Tahini Maple Bourbon Sour
Yet another recipe which puts an innovative spin on a classic cocktail is the bourbon sour infused with notes of tahini. The paste introduces some sweet yet toasty flavour into the drink that nicely balances the sweetness of maple syrup and the bitterness of a premium bourbon. You can garnish the drink with an orange peel for a pop of colour.
