Sesame Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla


Garnish:

3/4 cup sesame seeds


Preparation:

  • In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add in softened butter and sour cream and blend until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 
  • Make a well in the center and add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Combine the mixture, incorporating the liquid gradually, until it forms a soft dough. 
  • Divide the dough into 36 pieces. Form each piece into a 3 inch log. 
  • Preheat the oven to 375º F (190º C). 
  • Roll the logs in the sesame seeds. 
  • Place on lightly greased baking sheets 1 inch apart and bake about for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. 
  • Let cookies cool on wire racks. 
  • Store in airtight containers.


Makes 36 cookies.


Real Cooking
Did You Know?
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods. The flowers of the sesame seed plant are yellow, though they can vary in colour with some being blue or purple.

Sesame is grown primarily for its oil-rich seeds, which come in a variety of colors, from cream-white to charcoal-black. In general, the paler varieties of sesame seem to be more valued in the West and Middle East, while the black varieties are prized in the Far East. The small sesame seed is used whole in cooking for its rich nutty flavour (although such heating damages their healthful polyunsaturated fats), and also yields sesame oil.

Sesame seeds are sometimes added to breads, including bagels and the tops of hamburger buns. Sesame seeds may be baked into crackers, often in the form of sticks. Sesame seeds are also sprinkled onto some sushi style foods. Whole seeds are found in many salads and baked snacks as well in Japan. Tan and black sesame seed varieties are roasted[clarification needed] and used for making the flavoring gomashio. In Greece seeds are used in cakes, while in Togo, seeds are a main soup ingredient. The seeds are also eaten on bread in Sicily and France (called "ficelle sésame", sesame thread).