Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt

Name: Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 170 g Unsalted cultured European-style butter, cold, cubed; 90 g Granulated sugar; 30 g Light brown sugar; 6 g Fine sea salt; 70 g Tahini (well-stirred); 1 Egg yolk; 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract; 230 g All-purpose flour; 20 g Rice flour or cornstarch; 2 Blood oranges, zested; 180 g Blood orange juice (fresh); 15 g Lemon juice (fresh); 80 g Granulated sugar (for curd layer); 2 Eggs; 8 g Cornstarch; 30 g Unsalted butter (for curd), cubed; 35 g Black sesame seeds; 15 g White sesame seeds; 100 g Granulated sugar (for praliné); 25 g Water; 1 pinch Baking soda; 1 tsp Flaky sea salt

These are Paris sablés (butter shortbread) rewritten for January: nutty tahini in the crust, a sharp-jammy blood orange layer, and a crackly black sesame praliné that tastes like toasted sunshine. They’re not too sweet, the edges go crisp, the center stays tender, and the whole thing slices like a dream. Weeknight-friendly, café-level—because we’re not suffering for brunch.

Camille Roux

January 24, 2026

Prep: 35 minutes

Cook: 50 minutes

medium

dessertsnack

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Ingredients

170 g Unsalted cultured European-style butter, cold, cubed(Plus extra for pan)
90 g Granulated sugar(Keeps the crumb sandy, not cakey)
30 g Light brown sugar(Optional but nice for caramel depth)
6 g Fine sea salt(Under-salted pastry is just sweet cardboard)
70 g Tahini (well-stirred)(Choose a pourable, not-bitter brand)
1 Egg yolk(For richness and sliceability)
1 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract(Judicious, not perfumey)
230 g All-purpose flour(Weigh it—sablé is a precision game)
20 g Rice flour or cornstarch(Rice flour gives extra snap; cornstarch is fine)
2 Blood oranges, zested(Zest only; avoid bitter pith)
180 g Blood orange juice (fresh)(From about 3–4 oranges)
15 g Lemon juice (fresh)(Brightens and stabilizes the citrus flavor)
80 g Granulated sugar (for curd layer)(Adjust +/− 10g depending on orange sweetness)
2 Eggs(Whole eggs for a clean-set curd)
8 g Cornstarch(Insurance for a neat slice)
30 g Unsalted butter (for curd), cubed(Silk without heaviness)
35 g Black sesame seeds(Toasted if yours are pale and raw)
15 g White sesame seeds(Optional—adds sweetness and crunch)
100 g Granulated sugar (for praliné)(Caramel for the sesame brittle)
25 g Water(Helps the caramel start evenly)
1 pinch Baking soda(Optional: a little aeration for a lighter crunch)
1 tsp Flaky sea salt(To finish—don’t be shy)

Instructions

1
Heat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line an 20 cm / 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving overhang for lifting. Butter the pan under the parchment so it doesn’t skate around.
8 min
Tip: Metal pan = cleaner edges. Glass runs hotter and can over-brown the crust.
2
Make the tahini sablé base: In a bowl, rub (or cut) 170 g Unsalted cultured European-style butter, cold, cubed into 90 g Granulated sugar, 30 g Light brown sugar, 6 g Fine sea salt, and 2 Blood oranges, zested until it looks like damp sand with a few pea-size bits. Stir in 70 g Tahini (well-stirred), 1 Egg yolk, and 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract just to combine.
10 min
Tip: Why it works: keeping butter cold means a sandy, crisp sablé—not a dense cookie cake.
3
Add 230 g All-purpose flour and 20 g Rice flour or cornstarch. Mix with a spatula until no dry flour remains. It will look shaggy and a little dry—good. Press about 2/3 of the dough firmly into the lined pan in an even layer. Crumble the remaining 1/3 into the fridge (it’ll become the top ‘streusel’ later).
10 min
Tip: Non-negotiable: press hard. Loose packing = crumbly slices.
4
Par-bake the base until set and just turning pale gold at the edges, 16–18 minutes.
18 min
Tip: Your oven must be fully preheated. Timid heat makes greasy sablé.
5
While the base bakes, whisk 180 g Blood orange juice (fresh), 15 g Lemon juice (fresh), 80 g Granulated sugar (for curd layer), 2 Eggs, and 8 g Cornstarch in a small pot until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick like warm pudding and the whisk leaves trails, 4–6 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 30 g Unsalted butter (for curd), cubed until glossy.
8 min
Tip: If you see little eggy bits, don’t panic—push through a fine sieve. Precision over pride.
6
Pour the hot blood orange curd over the hot par-baked base. Scatter the chilled crumbles of remaining dough evenly over the top (some curd showing is perfect). Return to the oven and bake until the center has a gentle wobble (not sloshy), 14–16 minutes.
16 min
Tip: Checkpoint: the curd should jiggle like set jam, not wave like soup.
7
Cool completely at room temp, then chill 2 hours (or overnight) before topping and slicing. Cold bars cut clean; warm bars cut like a bad alibi.
120 min
Tip: Fridge is your friend scheduling: bake tonight, slice tomorrow.
8
Make black sesame praliné: Line a small tray with parchment. In a small saucepan, combine 100 g Granulated sugar (for praliné) and 25 g Water. Cook without stirring until amber. Swirl, then add 35 g Black sesame seeds (and 1 pinch Baking soda if using). Stir quickly, pour onto parchment, and spread thin. Cool hard, 10 minutes.
20 min
Tip: Keep it thin for shattery crunch. Thick praliné turns tooth-breaking.
9
Crush the praliné into gravel: Use a rolling pin over a bag, or pulse briefly in a food processor. Sprinkle over chilled bars and finish with 1 tsp Flaky sea salt and 15 g White sesame seeds. Lift out, slice into 12–16 bars with a hot dry knife (wipe between cuts).
10 min
Tip: Don’t skip this: flaky salt on top. It snaps the sesame and makes the citrus taste louder.

Chef's Notes

This one’s personal: in Paris winters, the light is stingy and the cafés keep you alive—shortbread, citrus, and that little bitter edge that makes sweet taste grown-up. Tahini is my quiet shortcut here: it gives the sablé a nutty depth without hauling out almonds, and it plays beautifully with sesame praliné. Cami’s shortcut note: You can swap blood oranges for Cara Cara or navel if that’s what your market has—just keep the lemon juice for brightness. Don’t skip this: Chill before slicing. Warm curd is delicious, but it will not behave.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt take to make?

Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt takes about 1 hour 25 minutes total. That includes 35 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking.

How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 16 servings.

What skill level is needed for Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt?

This recipe is rated medium — it's intermediate, requiring some cooking experience.

What ingredients do I need for Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt?

The main ingredients are: Unsalted cultured European-style butter, cold, cubed, Granulated sugar, Light brown sugar, Fine sea salt, Tahini (well-stirred), Egg yolk, Vanilla bean paste or extract, All-purpose flour, Rice flour or cornstarch, Blood oranges, zested, Blood orange juice (fresh), Lemon juice (fresh), Granulated sugar (for curd layer), Eggs, Cornstarch, Unsalted butter (for curd), cubed, Black sesame seeds, White sesame seeds, Granulated sugar (for praliné), Water, Baking soda, Flaky sea salt.

What type of meal is Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt?

Winter Blood Orange–Tahini Sablé Bars with Black Sesame Praliné & Flaky Salt is categorized as: dessert, snack.

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