Raw spirulina and tahini chocolates

It is what gives chocolate its texture: it is the fat extracted from the bean, the part that melts in the mouth at around 35 °C and sets again when cold. Without it, a cacao paste stays dull and sticky; with it, chocolate shines, snaps cleanly and melts properly. It also carries the aromas, many of which are fat-soluble. In this recipe, the amount you use directly determines how firm the bites are: less butter means a softer chocolate that will only hold up when cold.

Far more than hummus. On the savoury side, it makes creamy sauces in seconds, loosened with water, lemon and garlic, and coats roasted vegetables or grains beautifully. On the sweet side, it replaces butter in cookies, blends with dates for improvised bars and, as here, rounds off the bitterness of cacao. A spoonful in a smoothie or on toast with a little honey works too. It is one of the rare condiments that moves from savoury to sweet effortlessly.

An opened jar keeps for several months, as long as you protect it from heat and light. A cupboard is fine if your kitchen stays cool, but the fridge extends its life considerably and prevents rancidity, which is very noticeable in sesame pastes. It does harden in the cold: take it out half an hour beforehand, or stir it vigorously. The oil that rises to the surface is normal, not a fault: stir the jar as soon as you open it, using a fork or a broad-bladed knife.

Rarely neat, because its bitterness is pronounced. It is almost always loosened with a liquid, and that is where it surprises: add water and it suddenly turns pale, thickening instead of thinning, before becoming smooth again if you keep going. Allow one tablespoon to two of water, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt, and you have a sauce ready. In sweet dishes it pairs very well with cacao, dates and banana, with that salty edge that lifts the whole thing.