Honey and sesame bars

Also called ‘ancient greek’ or ‘Pasteli’ bars, it’s amazing how these come together with just 2 base ingredients (honey and sesame seeds) yet taste so delicious. There are many variations out there and I love adding lemon zest for a subtle citrus twist to compliment the sweet honey and toasted sesame seeds. If you’ve never tried this before - you’re in for a treat! With a long shelf life, these are great to make for the month ahead as well.

Time to make : 40 minutes

Makes : 36 chunks

Ingredients

200g sesame seeds

220g honey

1 tsp salt

1 lemon, zest of

Method

1. Line an 8 x 8” square tin with baking paper.

2. Dry-toast the sesame seeds in a large frying pan for about 2 minutes until just golden. Tip onto a plate and set to one side.

3. Heat the honey in a saucepan over a medium heat until it starts to bubble. Reduce to a simmer and let it gently bubble for about 4 minutes, then, reduce the heat to low and pour in the toasted sesame seeds and salt. Continue to cook over a low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

4. Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon zest, then pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin, spreading the top out with the back of a metal spoon.

5. Let this cool for 15 - 20 minutes and whilst still slightly warm, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice into squares.
   

Nutritional Information

(per serve)

54 cals

3g fat, 5g carbs, 2g protein

Good to know:

• Vegetarian.

• Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks, this keeps them soft and chewy. If it’s very warm where you are or you prefer them hard and crunchy, you can store them in the fridge for up to 1 month.