Black Sesame Chocolate Spiders
Why this recipe works
- Sesame flavours the centre and coating: Sesame paste mixes through the ganache while the toasted seeds stay on the surface, giving the same ingredient a smooth and a toasted-crisp expression.
- A fine crunch around soft ganache: The seed coating provides contrast without a thick chocolate shell, so the centre remains soft enough to bite through when served chilled.
- A supported shape for serving: The ganache ball rests on the centre of a flat chocolate base. The legs decorate the outline instead of having to support the truffle in the air.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Stir the sesame paste before weighing: If oil has collected on top of the unsweetened sesame paste, stir it back in first. A uniform paste gives each portion the intended balance of seed solids and oil.
- Use the specified double cream: Keep the measured double cream quantity so the chocolate and sesame paste form a smooth ganache that holds its shape when chilled.
Timing notes
- Check for a rollable centre: The chilled ganache should hold a rounded shape when scooped. If it flattens on the tray, chill longer before rolling rather than adding dry ingredients.
- Prepare the supports while the ganache chills: Toast and cool the seeds, then pipe and set the bases while the ganache chills. Have the tray ready before rolling.
Common mistakes
- Keep the chocolate legs short: Pipe short, thick legs flat against the paper. Long fine strands snap when moved, even when the central ganache body feels firm.
- Cool the seeds before coating: Let the toasted seeds cool fully before rolling the ganache in them. Warm seeds soften the surface and make the balls harder to handle.
- Set the bases before adding bodies: Let the piped bases firm completely before assembly. If the chocolate bends when lifted, return the tray to the fridge before adding the ganache.
Serving ideas
- Lift underneath the chocolate base: Slide a thin flat utensil under the base when moving a spider. Holding it by a leg can snap the chocolate even when the central body feels firm.
- Leave room around each spider: Arrange the spiders in a single layer with space around their legs. Keep unserved spiders refrigerated and follow the stated storage and serving limits.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Chop the dark chocolate, reserving 100 g for the legs and pupils. Heat the cream until bubbles appear at the edges, pour over the remaining 150 g chocolate and wait for 2 minutes.
- Stir until smooth, briefly setting the bowl over warm water if any chocolate remains unmelted, then stir in the sesame paste until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 90 minutes until firm enough to roll.
- Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, then cool. Melt the reserved chocolate in a dry bowl over barely simmering water and reserve 5 g for the pupils.
- On baking paper, pipe 12 flat chocolate bases, each with a small centre and 8 short, thick legs, 4 on each side. Use the remaining melted chocolate for these bases and chill for 20 minutes until firm.
- Divide the ganache into 12 balls and roll in the cooled sesame seeds. Set a ball on the centre of each chocolate base and press gently to attach it without snapping the legs.
- Melt the white chocolate and gently remelt the reserved pupil chocolate if needed. Pipe white dots onto the balls, add dark pupils, then refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Keep the legs flat and thick; raised or long thin legs snap easily when the spiders are moved.
- Pipe the chocolate bases on a flat tray about 30 × 40 cm that fits in your fridge. Serve on a flat plate in a single layer so the short legs are not crushed.
Substitutions
- Replace the unsweetened black sesame paste with tahini; the centre will be paler and milder.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Keep covered in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below for up to 3 days. Serve chilled and discard after 2 hours at room temperature. Broken spiders can be chopped while cold and sprinkled over a dessert just before serving; keep them chilled until needed and within the same storage limit.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 12 pieces
- Yield: sesame chocolate spiders
- Total time: 2h 30min (50min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Fusion
-
Allergens:
Milk Sesame
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