Michelle Darmody: Making use of unusual ingredient of sesame in your baking
I like to make quick use of unusual ingredients and not leave them sitting in the back of the cupboard for months on end, to be thrown out in next year’s spring clean.
I bought black sesame seeds last week when testing banana recipes and have added them to a stir-fry and to some homemade granola since.
The Asian Market where I buy ingredients, such as sesame seeds, sell them in quite large bags so I still have plenty left. This week I tried a few more baking recipes with them.
I experimented with some tahini and black sesame in chocolate brownies and they added a lovely nutty touch, then vanilla and the black sesame paired well in a butter sponge. Eating seeds, in general, is good for our health and black sesame seeds are no different.
The sesame plant originated in Africa but its seeds are used throughout Asia in many different ways. In Japan Norimaki are gently rolled in black sesame seeds for a coating that is both visually and gastronomically beneficial. In India sweet snacks are made with sesame.
Til Ladoo sweets are served in the winter months and combine cardamom, ground almond and coconut with toasted sesame seeds. Sesame has long been used to produce oil, many believe that it is the oldest oil created for cooking.
Its importance in trade and diet was immortalised in one of the tales of the Arabian Nights. ‘Open Sesame’ is the magic password used to reveal the riches of the cave in the story of Ali Baba.
The cave door busts open just like a sesame pod bursting to reveal the edible seeds inside.
Dark Chocolate Sponge with Sesame Cream Cheese Icing
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease your bundt tin really well and then coat it in a thin layer of flour. My bunt tin holds about 1.3 litres of water but they may vary slightly in size.
Cream the sugar and butter until very fluffy. Sieve in the flour baking powder and cocoa powder together and fold them in.
Sieve the baking powder, flour and cocoa powder together. Stir in the ground sesame seeds.
Mix the eggs and tahini. Gently add in the egg mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. If it begins to curdle add a spoon of the flour mixture.
Stir the flour mixture into the batter until everything is completely combined. Scoop the cake batter into your tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes before attempting to remove it. After the ten minutes place a wire rack on top of the tin then gently flip it over in one swift motion.
Now tap the tin all around and the cake should plop gently onto the wire rack. Let it cool completely on the rack. To make the icing, beat the butter and cheese until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and tahini and whip together.
Spread it on the cooled cake and sprinkle with some black sesame seeds.
Black Sesame Brownies
Heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a 10-inch square tin.
Melt the butter and chocolate together.
Beat the eggs, sugar, cardamom, and flour until well combined.
Combine the two mixtures and swirl in the tahini and black sesame seeds. Pour into your lined tin.
Bake for about 25 minutes until there is a shine on the top and they seem firm but not fully baked through.
Allow to cool before cutting into squares.
Vanilla and Black Sesame Cake
Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees and line an 8-inch springform cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
The mixture will become much paler in colour. Add the vanilla to the eggs and beat lightly. Add the eggs slowly to the mixture and if it begins to curdle add a spoon of flour.
Add in the sieved flour and gently combine. Stir in the milk and sesame seeds.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.
