Ingredients
Bark
- 300 g soft Medjool dates pitted weight; approximately 12–15 large dates, split open and checked for pits
- 1/4 cup plain tahini 60 g; stirred until completely smooth
- 120 g 70% dark chocolate finely chopped
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds 6 g
- 1/8 tsp flaky sea salt about 0.4 g; crush lightly between your fingers
Equipment
- 1 Small rimmed baking sheet with space for an 8 × 10-inch slab
- Parchment paper two sheets
- 1 Flat-bottomed glass or rolling pin for pressing the dates
- 1 Microwave-safe bowl completely dry
- 1 Small spatula
- 1 Sharp knife and cutting board
Instructions
Press, layer and chill
- Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Open the dates, remove any remaining pits or fragments and arrange cut-side up with their edges overlapping in an 8 × 10-inch rectangle. Cover with another sheet of parchment and press firmly with a flat-bottomed glass or rolling pin until the dates form one connected, roughly even layer. Remove the top parchment.
- Stir the tahini thoroughly in its jar before measuring. Spread the measured tahini in a thin layer across the date base, stopping just short of the edges. Do not add water.
- Put the chopped chocolate in a completely dry microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring thoroughly between each, until just melted and smooth, about 1–2 minutes in total. Stop heating when a few small pieces remain and stir until they melt.
- Spoon the melted chocolate across the tahini and spread gently into a thin, continuous coating. Sprinkle evenly with the sesame seeds and flaky salt. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes, or until the chocolate is fully set; a warm kitchen or thicker layer may need longer.
- Lift the bark on its parchment onto a cutting board. If the base is very firm, let it stand for 3–5 minutes. Cut into 16 roughly equal pieces with a sharp knife. Serve cool and refrigerate the remainder in a covered container with parchment between layers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece (1/16 recipe)Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 18.4gProtein: 1.6gFat: 5.4gSodium: 16mgFiber: 2.5g
Video
Notes
Texture: Use genuinely soft dates and weigh after pitting. A dry, firm date does not press as readily. Keep tahini and chocolate layers thin for easier slicing.
Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week for best quality. Freeze with parchment between pieces for up to 2 months; soften briefly before eating.
Nutrition: Estimated per one-sixteenth of the recipe using weighed ingredients and representative food-composition data. Chocolate and tahini brands differ. Contains sesame; check chocolate for milk, soy and relevant cross-contact labeling.
Estimated cost: About US$14.35 for the whole recipe, or US$0.90 per piece, based on prorated representative US online package prices. Prices vary by store, brand and date; excludes energy, equipment, taxes and delivery.
Video: Lola Jay, Yum! demonstrates pressing Medjool dates, adding tahini and melted chocolate, and chilling date bark. Her richer variation adds nuts, goji berries and honey, drizzles tahini on top, and freezes for longer. Follow this card for the thin sesame-layer version and its ingredient quantities.
