his honey sesame cookies recipe from Corsica most likely originated in Turkey centuries ago, since it is essentially the same as the Turkish barazek. A coating of honey-dipped, toasted sesame seeds is what gives these delicious cookies their special kick. They taste especially good on the first or second day after baking with a strong cup of tea.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios (optional)
Preparation:
How to make barazek:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Stir together the sesame seeds, honey, and water. Place them in a wide, shallow bowl or on a small plate and set it aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture is sandy with a few pea-sized pieces of butter throughout. Stir in 1/3 water and the pistachios, if desired, until the dough just holds together.
Take a heaping teaspoon of dough and form it into a ball, and then dip one half of the ball into the toasted sesame-honey mixture. Repeat this with the remaining dough, arranging the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, sesame side up.
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until they turn light, golden brown. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
This honey sesame cookie recipe makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies.
