I missed James’s birthday last week and didn’t bother to really congratulate him. Also, I missed his birthday night-out and have been feeling slightly guilty for the lack of effort and affection shown. Hence, this bake fest (I understand it’s quite an overstatement to call it that but I honestly had another phrase in mind that wasn’t too elegant). My withdrawal symptoms stemming from days of not having baked was really getting on my nerves as well; kind of like when you’ve got an itch just under your skin and no matter how many times you scratch it, it just gets itchy somewhere else. This has solved all my problems, but created another as well. The scratch has been scratched, thank the heavens, but bollocks! I’ve incurred the — no, not wrath — but jealousy and bitchiness of the other 100 boys for displaying favouritism. Biscuits for one and none for the rest really isn’t the best track to go, let me warn you first in case you’re as silly as me to make such a mistake.
So despite it being grey as heck today, I pulled my boots on and took a nice stroll to Sainsbury’s. What a pleasant shop it was. Loads of nice grannies and the lady at the till was awfully chatty. Bought some pretty exciting ingredients for the week and a box of eggs that should last me for ages. This recipe has really taken it out of me. It really didn’t seem like much effort when I was reading through it but all that rolling and mixing and bashing about has left me breathless and slightly jelly-like at this point. It doesn’t help that the grey skies seem to be sapping away all leftover energy and lulling me into a lethargic dream state.
Piece of advice, make this only when you’ve got a considerable amount of energy, the skies aren’t grey and make sure you prepare loads for everyone! Jealousy is not a very pretty thing.
The recipe has been taken from Smitten Kitchen which was for a Green Tea Shortbread with White Chocolate Ganache. This makes about 40-52 thin shortbread biscuits. Really like the original recipe but I’ve been saving my matcha for something else (and the millions of cups of matcha latte I’ve been making) so thought to adapt it for these instead.
I remember eating slightly savoury Japanese black sesame biscuits once. They were almost wafer thin but had a really fantastic crunch and flavour to it. Of course, I don’t know how to replicate them because it was Japanese characters up and down the wrapper (and I need my sis to read them) so I had no idea what the ingredients were but these are pretty amazing. Use really good butter if you’re very particular about your shortbread and remember to bash some of the sesame seeds to release their amazing flavour.
Black Sesame Shortbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
225g salted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tbs black sesame seeds, half of this ground
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
caster sugar, for sprinkling
Whisk together the dry ingredients.
Beat the butter till just soft and creamy. Add the vanilla extract, beat. Now add all the dry ingredients and mix together.
I find it best to use your hands from here on and mesh all the butter and dry ingredients together, kind of like how you’d make scones but without the rubbing as you don’t want too much air in these guys.
It helps to use force to bang it all together.
Now split the mixture into 2 separate bowls in equal portions. Press everything together to form a dough ball and then gently form them into discs. Wrap each disc with clingwrap and fridge for 1hr, or until just firm.
Preheat oven to 170d Celsius and grease 2 cookie trays.
Flour your working surface and rolling pin. Remove the discs from the fridge and place one disc onto floured surface. Roll out flat to your desired thickness — preferably just under 1cm. Use a cookie cutter to form biscuits. Place on greased tray and sprinkle with sugar. Repeat until all the dough has been formed into your shortbread biscuits.
Pop into oven for about 15min or just before the edges get too brown. Remove from tray with a spatula and let cool on wire rack. Eat them slightly warm with a steaming cup of tea.
In my case, bag them up in a candy paperbag and carry out a covert operation to deliver them to desired recipient.
Those look completely soft and melt in your mouth material there! Great photos! Must have been tedious to present those layed out black sesame seeds! <3!
what a great idea to add black sesame seeds on shortbreads
the photos are stunning too!! thanks for sharing this recipe 
Gasp! Instant love. There’s an Asian black sesame candy, just heated sugar and seeds that are pressed into bars or thin sheets. Fabulous stuff. So are these cookies!
I love those Japanese wafers! Mmmmmm…. I’m definitely going to have to try making these.
Black sesame shortbread is a great idea!
Mmmm…those look fantastic (and beautiful) How did you get them so perfect?
Niccee, I’m lovin’ the presentation.
Great idea Diva! I know which biscuits you’re talking about, I love them too.
Love it!
Hmmm… I’ve not heard of these before. They look absolutely beautiful, and I’d love to have a taste!
Wow, don’t these look amazing???
That shortbread looks delicious Kid, and the sesame seed trail is undoubtedly the finishing touch.
cakewardrobe: thank you! they sure were pretty melt-in-your-mouth!
dhanggit: indeed it was. gave the shortbread an added dimension to its flavour. loved it.
susan: oh i’ve had those before. A friend of mine used to bring them to class in primary school, but they were made with peanuts.
fuji mama: when you do, let me know how you get on. and yes i do love those wafers. they make it so nice and crisp and it’s crazy to think how flavourful they are when they’re so thin.
kevin: cheers
toontz: they were in no way perfect my friend. i kept rolling the dough out in irregular sizes it was such a pain. created quite a mess as well. haha, but thanks!
bobby: thank you! i went for simplicity.
marc: nice one. they are really good aren’t they?
appetiteforchina: many thanks!
recipegirl: thank you my friend. they were pretty yummy. very very buttery shortbread.
patricia scarpin: thank you
bless you for the comment.
marysol: i did have quite some fun preparing that curly line of sesame seeds!
xx
How nice to bake for your friends! Of course there will be jealousy - that’s a good thing. It means that you are highly regarded AND maybe the others will suck-up to you more for the off chance that you will bake for them too. These look sinfully good!
xoxox Amy
These look amazing! I would really love to experiment more with sesame in baking. Good idea.
Those cookies are gorgeous! I love the idea of sesame seeds with shortbread.
Lovely idea - I can imagine the taste now!
And your pictures are gorgeous
I have to say that those cookies look perfect, all beautifully even in height and shape. Fabulous!
i love, love, love shortbread cookies–so simple and so delicious. black sesame, you say? i don’t have a lot of experience with it, but i’ll bet it delivers a nice crunch. yeah, i’d definitely try five or six of these, as long as you can promise that the seeds won’t get stuck in my teeth…
These look fabulous!
Sainsbury’s popped out of your post immediately as I started reading it. I studied in London for a semester when I was in college, oh how I miss it!! We did all of our shopping at Sainsbury’s, even though Tesco had better cookies. Sigh. Wish I could go back in time
OOooooooh…this I LOVE & am gonna make soon; as soon as I can lay my hands on black sesame. This shortbread is oustanding Diva…delicious!