Tuesday, June 24, 2008

SESAME COOKIES - COOKIES AU SÉSAME

Today, I've decided to talk about another remarkable recipe which I found in Chef Markus Samuelsson's "The Soul Of A New Cuisine: A Discovery Of The Foods And Flavors Of Africa"...

This cookbook is such a goldmine that I cannot stop going through it and finding new dishes to test! All the recipes I have prepared so far have been very successful and highly satisfying. And as summer has started, I'm pretty sure that I will try many more scrumptious African recipes!

So, after having made "Peanut Bread" (see recipe), "Ethiopian Berbere" (see recipe) and "Ginger Bananas & Honey Ice Cream", my attention was caught by a "Sesame Seed Cookies" recipe which I very much fancied as I love those unique seeds and their mouthwatering as well as captivating and complex flavor.

Those delightful and addictive "Sesame Seed Cookies" made with a very little flour, a small amount of butter and an immense quantity of white roasted sesame seeds are absolutely fantastic! The dough being quite wet and sticky, those wonderful cookies tend to spread a lot while baking, thus being similar to the American "Benne Wafers" (see info & recipe) as, like them, they are extremely fragile, scrumptiously crispy, but slightly lacey and chewy at the same time. In fact, I would say that they are African "Benne Wafers" (in Nigerian "benne" means "sesame"), the ancestor of the reknown Carolina cookies...

Taste-wise, they are incomparable. The sesame seeds confer them a strong, smoky, distinctive, nutty, rich and intense, yet delicate fragrance which reminds me of Tahini Paste or Halvah. Those "Sesame Seed Cookies" also have an intoxicating hint of butter and vanilla which makes them even more luscious.

If you make those marvelous "Sesame Seed Cookies", I can guarantee that you'll not stop reaching for the cookie box until it's empty as they are very tempting, lip-smacking and heavenly little toasty goodnesses!!!

~ Sesame Cookies ~
Recipe taken from "The Soul Of A New Cuisine" written by Marcus Samuelsson and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup (64g) + 2 Tbs Plain white flour

1/2 Tsp Baking powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
4 Tbs (1/2 stick/60g) Unsalted butter

1 Cup (240g) Light brown sugar, packed
1 Large egg (~60g)

1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract or paste
1 Tsp Fresh lemon juice
1 Cup (150g) Sesame seeds, toasted

Method:
1. Combine the (sieved) flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Using an electric stand mixer, hand mixer or spatula (by hand)
, cream the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon juice and beat until thouroughly blended, about 30 seconds.
4. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until inco
rporated.
5. Beat in/incorporate the sesame seeds.

6. Allow the dough to rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).

8. Line two baking pans/sheets with parchment paper.
9. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoons onto the baking sheets/pans, leaving about 7cm (2.8 inches) between the cookies.
10. Bake the cookies until golden, about 7-9 minutes, turning the bakin
g sheets around midway through baking.
11. Remove delicately from the baking sheets/pans and cool on a wir
e rack.

Remarks:
I used vanilla paste to make those cookies.

I recommend you to bake those cookies one baking sheet/pan at a time and to keep the dough in the fridge in the meantime.
Those cookies tend to spread a lot, so give them a lot of space (one batch = 12 cookies).

Serving suggestions:
Those cookies can be eaten at any time.

They are particularly delicious with a good cup of tea or coffee or as accompaniment to homemade ice cream (vanilla or honey) and a seasonal fruit salad.

***************

~ Cookies Au Sésame ~
Recette tirée du livre "The Soul Of A New Cuisine" de Marcus Samuelsson et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Pour environ 36 cookies.

Ingrédients:
1/2 Tasse (64g) + 2 CS de Farine blanche/fleur
1/2 CC de Poudre à lever
1/2 CC de Sel
4 CS (60g) de Beurre non-salé
1 Tasse (240g) de Sucre brun clair, tassé
1 Oeuf large (~60g)
1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille ou de pâte de vanille
1 CC de Jus de citron
1 Tasse (150g) de Graines de sésame clair

Méthode:
1. Dans un petit bol, mélanger ensemble la farine (tamisée), la poudre à lever et le sel. Mettre de côté.
2. A l'aide d'un mixer ou d'une spatule (à la main), fouetter le beurre et le sucre brun en pommade jusqu'à ce qu'elle deviennent légère et pâle.
3. Ajouter l'oeuf, l'extrait de vanille et le jus de citron, puis fouetter pendant 30 secondes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit homogène.
4. A basse vitesse, ajouter lentement le mélange farine/poudre à lever/sel et mélanger jusqu'à ce qu'il soit bien incorporé (sans battre).

5. Incorporer les graines de sésame.
6. Laisser reposer la pâte pendant 1 heure au frigo.
7. Préchauffer le four à 180° C (350° F).
8. Recouvrir deux plaques de feuille de papier sulfurisé
9. Déposer des petits tas (1 CC) de pâte sur les plaques, en laissant un espace d'environ 7cm (2.8 inches) entre les cookies.
10. Cuire jusqu'à ce que les cookies soient dorés, pendant environ 7 à 9 minutes et tourner les plaques en milieu de cuisson.
11. Déposer les cookies (délicatement) sur une grille et laisser refroidir.

Remarques:
J'ai utilisé de la pâte de vanille pour faire ces cookies.
Je vous recommande de cuire ces cookies une plaque à la fois et de garder le reste de pâte au frais lors de la cuisson.
Ces cookies ont tendance à s'étendre lors de la cuisson, alors faites bien attention de les espacer suffisemment (une plaque = 12 cookies).

Idées de présentation:
Ces cookies sont délicieux à toute heure de la journée.
Ils sont particulièrement bons avec une bonne tasse de thé ou de café, ou une boule de glace maison (vanille ou miel) et une salade de fruits de saison.

53 comments:

  1. I love all the recipes taken from this book, they have something different I haven't discovered in any other cooking traditions yet. Your addiction to this book make me think I could be addicted too... I'll see if I can find it somewhere. Your pictures are beautiful;)

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  2. This looks good. I like sesame very much. Can't wait to try this!

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  3. i can imagine these cookies to be savory or sweet..but i guess it would be perfect with a scoop of home made vanilla ice-cream, yummy!

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  4. Rosa, these sounds "tres Yummmy-euses"!

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  5. Cant wait to try these, esp with that scoop of home made vanilla ice cream. Nice suggestion dhanggit. BTW, I am hosting a ONE DISH MEAL EVENT, I would love for you to participate. The details of it are in my site.

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  6. Ces cookies au sésame sont superbe, ils doivent etre excellent et très croquant. Bonne journée.

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  7. Toutes ces photos de tes cookies me mette en appétit et 12h approche. Merci pour cette recette nouvelle pour moi.
    Bisous, Doria

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  8. Oooo ... qu'ils sont beaux ces petits cookies ... fins et certainement delicious !

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  9. Ils sont à tomber ces cookies, j'en veux !!! Bises !

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  10. Je viens de photographier du poisson, c'est moins docile que les cookies!

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  11. Oh je n'ose pas en prendre un de peur de faire tomber la pile ...bisou

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  12. à essayer,cela a l'air fameux

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  13. Those thin and crispy cookies look delish. I have that book and don't remember seeing that recipe. Obviously, I should look again.

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  14. superbe! pour accompagner un thé ou un café! et tes photos sont magnifiques

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  15. J'aime beaucoup ta version de cookies au sésames.J,ai fait une recette il y'a quelque temps déja de cookies au sésames mais la recette contenait beaucoup plus de farine.Je vais essayer ta version la porchaine fois...et j,espère que ça sera très bientôt lol!
    Bonne journée!

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  16. je fais l'impasse sur les cookies, mais il y a la quelques superbes photos.

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  17. j'adore le gout de la sésame et si je m'écoutais j'en mettrai partout
    tes cookies bien dorés me font saliver et je crois que j'arrive a deviner leur saveur

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  18. You've made those look and sound so delicious, I think I'll buy some sesame seeds next time I'm in town and try this recipe out!

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  19. YUM! I love sesame seeds! These look great.

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  20. ca a l'air drolement delicieux ces biscuits ! J'adore le sesame, je vais tester ca tt prochainement :)
    A + Corinne

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  21. This is the ultimate must try cookies!
    Cheers.

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  22. I only have one thing to say:
    "Sesame open up!!!"
    ...and you wouldn't have to tell me twice!

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  23. These cookies are just beautiful! The roasted seasame flavor must just be wonderful!

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  24. I do love sesame seeds and this recipe looks very very tempting!

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  25. Gosh, you are making me hungry...now if only I have half of your skill to bake. Or if only I could grab that cookies off my screen.

    :D Yummy treat Rosa.

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  26. Omigoodness, these look gorgeous!

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  27. They look so delicate and lovely.

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  28. Oooh, I'm definitely trying these. I love sesame!

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  29. Tout fins et bien croquant, je crois que je vais les adorer !
    Bisous et bonne journée
    Hélène

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  30. Oh Rosa, those cookies look perfect to me. I love sesame seeds in baked goods and I will be thinking about those marvelous pictures of yours for a long time.

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  31. Vraiment original. J'ai enfin trouvé comme finir mon paquet de graines de sesame toastées

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  32. Une belle recette bien croquante :)

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  33. Very tempting indeed!

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  34. These sound so delicious. I love baking with sesame seeds. Will bookmark this to try some time. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I've seen the book around before, but have never gotten round to buying it.

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  35. Those cookies look just perfect... and I will have to go and find the cookbook!

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  36. Elles sont bien jolies tes cookies :)

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  37. Ils sont superbes ces cookies!
    Je t'en piquerai bien quelques uns!

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  38. Merci pour cette recette si bien illustrée, je la copie!
    Bises

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  39. Ils ont l'air parfaits!
    Bises
    Audrey (site: "Les petits plats d'Audrey")

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  40. Humm, ils ont l'air vraiment délicieux, je les essaierai bien en version salé pour l'apero aussi!
    Bises

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  41. Miam!!! des cookies au sésame il fallait y penser j'adore le sésame, merci pour la recette!

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  42. Mmmm, ils ont l'air délicieux et originals !

    Biz !

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  43. I really like the sound of sesame cookies and they look great!

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  44. Ces cokies sont tres tentant ! On adore le sesame !

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  45. Oh, these look so good, Rosa. Any leftovers?

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  46. I'M EVER SO THANKFUL FOR ALL YOUR KIND COMMENTS! I'M GLAD YOU LIKED THOSE COOKIES!

    CHEERS,

    ROSA

    **********************************

    MERCI POUR TOUS VOS COMMENTAIRES SI SYMPATHIQUES! JE SUIS CONTENTE DE SAVOIR QUE CES COOKIES VOUS ONT PLU!

    BISES,

    ROSA

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  47. miam..je note toute de suite cette recette, ils sont super beaux..et surement bon!!

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  48. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I made some batches today and it was a hit! Absolutely delicious.

    Thank you again.

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  49. JANIE: Thanks for the kind comment and for passing by! I'm so happy to hear that you liked those cookies! Cheers.

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  50. hey rosa these sound scrumptious !and it just so happens i have a pack of sesame seeds sittin about!
    just a question though... how long do these stay?? i want to take some over to my family in india and was wonderin hw they stay. do they stay crunchy or lose a lil something over time?

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  51. NINU: Thanks for passing by and for the comment! If you keep them in a cookie box, then they should keep at least 5 to 7 days... Humidity is bad for them. They tend to lose a bit of they crunchiness with time, but never get soft.

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  52. i just made these...

    OH

    MY

    GOD!!!!!!!!

    THEY ARE SOOOOOO GOOD!!!

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  53. NIKKIJALA: Thanks for passing by and for your interest in my blog! I'm glad you like those. There very irresistible indeed! Cheers.

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