Pastelli, Honey and Sesame Seed Candy
Print RecipeIngredients
- 3/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup organic granulated sugar
- dash of sea salt
- 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup organic sprouted pepitas
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp finely grated orange zest
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
On the counter top lay out a large sheet of parchment paper and have a spoon, knife and neutral flavored cooking spray near by
In a non stick pan place in the sesame seeds and lightly toast until they get a bit of color for about 4 min before adding the granulated sugar and a dash of salt, reduce heat to medium and stir before adding in the honey to cook for about 5 minutes so that all the ingredients are melded together
Shut the heat and add the cinnamon, orange zest, pepitas, and lemon juice stir until incorporated and quickly move to the parchment paper
Take the spoon and give it a quick spray so nothing sticks before transferring the sesame mixture to the parchment paper, use the back of the spoon to even the sesame mixture to about 1/8 in thick
Let cool for 3 minutes and take the knife to cut the candy into even rectangles ( coat in non stick spray if it starts sticking). Once cooled, remove from paper and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks if they last that long
Notes
You can replace the pepitas with pistachios or almond slices. If your going the pistachio route, make sure the sesame candy is a bit thicker to hold the weight of the nut.
Every time I travel to Greece, I come back with about a half a suitcase of food products, and Pastelli is always in the mix. I ran out, so had to figure out how to make my own. You can find something similar in the United States, however its very difficult to find the soft kind that is so readily available in Greece, even at news stands if your heart desires it while picking up the morning newspaper. The basic Pastelli is a mixture of honey, sugar and sesame seeds that have been toasted to bring out their aroma. You can then add your favorite type of small nut and then let it cool where it forms soft, pliable bites of sweetness. The mixture is heated in a non-stick pan before it moves to a parchment lined cool counter top to cool. Make sure that you move quite quickly to avoid a sticky mess in the process of shifting from the pan to the counter top and then cutting the rectangles, its not heated for a long time and cools quickly. The recipe above has sprouted pepitas and freshly grated orange zest that is a perfect compliment to your afternoon espresso!
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