One of my favorite candies is Middle Eastern halvah, made from ground sesame seeds, so I decided to design a cookie with a similar sweet sesame flavor, and here it is.
Yield: 4 dozen
Active time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 40 minutes
1 cup (16 tablespoons) soy margarine
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup silken tofu
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
2. Combine margarine and sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat at low speed with an electric mixer to blend. Increase the speed to high, and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in tahini, tofu, vanilla, and salt and beat for 1 minute. Slowly add flour to the margarine mixture, and beat until soft dough forms.
3. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan, and top with sesame seeds, patting them down gently into dough. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until seeds are golden. Cool the pan on a cooling rack, and then cut into bars.
Note: Keep cookies in an airtight container, layered between sheets of waxed paper or parchment, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Variation:
Add 3/4 cup dried apricots and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger to the dough.