Saturday 14 May 2011

Sesame Wafers

In the Easter vac, Mum and I developed a bit of a thing for sesame seeds (and Cary Grant, but that's another story).

For breakfast, I'd spoon some greek yogurt into a bowl and sprinkle a chopped pear over the top. Then I'd pour a healthy dose of sesame seeds into our little frying toasting pan with some pecans and heat them till they started jumping out of the pan. Just before the seeds are ready you drizzle acacia honey over the pears. Then when you tip the hot seeds over the bowl they melt the honey and crisp into this delicious coating for the pears. 

Due to this little toasty seed obsession, I decided I had to find something to bake them into. A quick spin round Google led me to She Wears Many Hats's recipe for 'Benne Wafers'. They're an American thing, apparently local to the low country of South Carolina. 

I decided to make these one night when we were watching Dances with Wolves (as well as sesame seeds and Cary Grant, mum has a thing for Kevin Costner). Halfway through we stopped and I made them. Tray after tray came out before we started again - it's a big mix and you use so little each time.  

These little lacy wafers have a strong toasted sesame seed flavour and crunch in your mouth. They keep really well so we munched on the big batch for weeks. 


Sesame 'Benne' Wafers
(adapted from She Wears Many Hats)

6 tbsp sesame seeds (approx 55g)
160g light brown sugar
90g butter, room temp
1 egg, beaten
60g flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment. Spread the sesame seeds out in a dry frying pan. Toast over a medium-high heat until golden and starting to jump. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl and mix well till smooth. Add the vanilla and toasted seeds and stir in until consistent. Drop teaspoons of the mixture onto the parchment, leaving room for lots of spreading. Bake for 12-13 minutes until browned. Leave to cool for 2 minutes then remove to a wire rack. Repeat for the rest of the mixture. They keep really well in an airtight tin. 

(Makes about 50)

9 comments:

  1. Jeni -Emma's mum14 May 2011 at 12:49

    These are so delicious- just one more!!!!

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  2. DELICIOUS. loving it! The perfect snack.

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  3. That's a great snack and the pears with yoghurt and pears and a sprinkling of sesame sounds rather appetising too. I love how you share your foodie adventures with your Mom :)

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  4. They look great, so thin and crispy!

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  5. They sounds delicious! I have a "thing" abotu sesame too.

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  6. Ooh i love the sound of the sesame pears - these wafers look lovely but think I'll be trying the breakfast option first!

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  7. I must admit I have not caught up with many of your posts lately :-( But so glad to have come back to this. Looks wonderful!

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  8. Why do I never think to make my own crackers? Such a great idea. These little sesame numbers looks so easy and good!
    -Erin

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