a rich, soft, chocolate cake will always be my #1. the kind that slices like warm butter, giving way to the slightest amount of pressure from a sharp knife; the kind that acquires moistness and flavor from layers of frosting, but retains its own flavor and texture; the kind that never comes cleanly out of the pan, [...]
dark, damp chocolate cake is given a middle eastern kick with tahini, an oily paste made from toasted sesame seeds. savory-wise, tahini is the star of hummus and baba ghanoush, but it's also the main component of crumbly, cloyingly sweet halva. sesame halva is popular across the Balkans, the Middle East, and throughout the Jewish [...]
