The rich, nutty flavour of tahini pairs beautifully with the deep, caramelised notes of honey for a sophisticated twist on the classic cookie. These cookies have a wonderful texture that’s both chewy and crispy, with a hint of sea salt to enhance the sweetness and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for an extra pop of flavour.
Ingredients:
- 150g honey
- 150g salted butter, diced
- 75g dark brown soft sugar
- 75g caster sugar
- 100g tahini
- 1 egg, plus 1 yolk
- 250g plain flour
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tbsp mixed black and white sesame seeds
Method:
Start by bringing the honey to the boil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes until it has darkened and given off a nutty aroma. It’s OK if it looks quite dark; this adds flavour.
Whisk briefly, then remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter until melted. Pour into a heatproof bowl and leave to cool.
In a separate bowl, combine both sugars, tahini, egg and egg yolk with the cooled honey mixture and whisk to combine.
In another bowl, mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together, then gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until you have a dough.
Chill the dough for 3 hours or overnight to firm up.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Roll the dough into 18 even balls, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon to flatten the tops slightly, then sprinkle with the sea salt flakes and sesame seeds.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. After baking, tap the tray on a work surface to flatten the cookies slightly.
Leave to cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
