Pasteli: Chewy-Crisp Honey and Sesame Bars
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
Toasted sesame seeds bound in honey cooked to the hard-crack stage, pressed into a tin and cut into thick, crunchy bars.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Toast the sesame. Spread the sesame in the dry frying pan and toast over medium-low heat for 6-8 min, stirring all the time, until light golden and nutty. Tip it into a bowl straight away so it does not keep browning in the hot pan.
- 2
Boil the honey. Warm the honey and salt in the heavy saucepan over medium heat and let it bubble, without stirring, until the thermometer reads 150-155 °C, about 8-10 min. It will foam up and darken slightly. Taking it to this temperature is what makes the bars set crisp instead of staying sticky.
- 3
Stir in the seeds. Take the pan off the heat, add the lemon zest if using, then pour in the warm sesame and stir quickly until every seed is coated in honey.
- 4
Press into the tin. Scrape the mixture into the lined tin, cover with the second sheet of baking paper and press it into an even layer about 1 cm thick with the base of a glass. Take care, as the honey is extremely hot.
- 5
Cut while warm. Leave for 5-10 min until firm but still warm, then lift out on the paper and cut into 16 bars with the sharp knife. If it hardens before you finish, warm it in a 150 °C oven for 2 min.
- 6
Cool and crisp. Let the bars cool completely on the paper. They get crunchier over the next few hours.
Storage
Store between sheets of baking paper in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Keep away from humidity, which makes them sticky.
Equipment
- large dry frying pan
- small heavy saucepan
- sugar thermometer
- 20 cm square tin lined with baking paper
- silicone spatula
- second sheet of baking paper
- sharp knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 132 kcal |
| Protein | 2.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.9 g |
| of which sugars | 12.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 12.3 g |
| Fat | 7.5 g |
| of which saturates | 1 g |
| Fibre | 1.8 g |
| Salt | 0.1 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
