Keto Choco-Tahini Ice Pop was born out of two inspirations. First, our Ketonians* sent us photos of their success with our recipes. Paola and Jenn, in particular, loved our Keto Tahini fat bombs. Well, who wouldn’t? The creaminess and velvety texture of these oriental bites turned them into one of our most successful recipes.

The other inspiration came from aromatic spice known to the Eastern world for centuries, called Mahleb! Wonderful cherry seed ground and roasted to brighten up the taste of any dish.

*Who are Ketonians? They are people who follow Greek Goes Keto on social media and actively participate in promoting the KMD lifestyle!

What is so special about Tahini?

This is an oriental delicacy, a paste made from mashed sesame seeds with the addition of sesame oil. In Greece, we are using it for pastries and sweets, while in the Middle East, they use it in savoury dishes, especially for Hummus preparation.

Tahini is rich in essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The first notes of Tahini were found in the 13th-century Arabic cookbook. Today it is often used in Mediterranean cuisine and in the Balkan countries.

Tahini is an outstanding and easily absorbable reservoir of calcium. One portion, or let’s say one tablespoon of this paste contains about one-third of the daily recommended dose of calcium. Isn’t that great? Calcium is necessary for building bones, teeth and muscles. Research has connected it to a decreased risk of allergies and some kinds of cancer.

Overwhelming mineral content

Tahini is also abundant in potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamins B and E. Because of its antioxidant properties, vitamin E is called “an elixir of youth”. It slows the ageing of tissue cells and maintains mental freshness. Vitamins B found in Tahini include B1, B2, B3 and B5. These reputed members of the B complex family improve the growth and division of healthy cells, including our erythrocytes – red blood cells.

Vitamins B is also beneficial for speeding up the healing of injured tissues and for healthy brain function. Additionally, it boosts good mood and concentration. Tahini is a well-balanced source of essential fatty acids of omega 3 and omega 6. These acids are important for the health of joints, cartilage, vascular system, brain and skin. Beauty and the beast among Keto butter and spreads!

So, what is Mahleb and how it tastes?

Mahleb is made of miniature kernels collected from the dehydrated pits of St. Lucie cherries (Prunus mahalab). You can find this spice in the ground or powdered form, but in most cases, they sell the kernels whole. It changes the taste of everything by giving a unique marzipan alike flavour.

There’s a rule to using Mahleb that we borrow from the famous architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe:
Less is more!

Latest researches show benefits in utilising Prunus mahaleb seeds. since its oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially the α-eleostearic acid, a conjugated fatty acid infrequently found in oils, with beneficial effects on human health.

These seeds contain coumarin, which is highly anti-inflammatory, sedative and has vasodilation pharmaceutical features.

The creation of Keto Choco Tahini Ice Pops with the magic of Mahleb

Before I give you the recipe, I kindly invite you to be creative with the ingredients. I will be giving you all the alternatives so that you don’t have to worry if you cannot find goat or sheep cream cheese! However, for a 100% experience, I suggest purchasing Mahlep spice which can be found in many online stores. Also, as you can see in the video, we did not even use a mixer. This ice cream is a form of ice pop can also be just placed in a container before freezing. That way you can enjoy it as standard ice cream and scoop it or eat it with a spoon!