Benne Wafers (Sesame Cookies)

Benne Wafers (Sesame Seed Cookies)

Benne (pronounced benny) is the heirloom ancestor to modern day sesame seeds. Morgan McGlone, who worked with renowned Southern chef Sean Brock at Husk in Charleston (South Carolina), tells me that even raw they have the rich, nutty flavour of toasted sesame seeds. Slaves brought benne seeds with them from Africa, and initially they were only grown in their subsistence plots. Over time the African cooks introduced them to the plantation tables and eventually modern strains were developed with more of a focus on oil production than flavour. In the South the old strain survives and is used in all sorts of sweet and savoury dishes. One of the most popular are benne wafers – thin, bite-sized sesame cookies beloved all over the South, especially in South Carolina, where they’re popular gifts and party favours. Because benne wafers are so tiny, each recipe yields a lot, so they’re ideal for sharing. You’ll likely need to cook them in a couple of batches, but they don’t take long. They keep well in an airtight container for a week or two, softening slightly over time. Extend that southern feeling by sipping a Southern cocktail with your wafers!

Makes about 5 dozen

Ingredients
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 75g butter, softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ lightly beaten egg
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch salt flakes, crushed
Method
  1. Toast the sesame seeds in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes, until golden and aromatic, stirring frequently.
  2. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy.
  3. Beat in the sugar in several batches.
  4. Beat in egg and vanilla.
  5. Stir in sesame seeds.
  6. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, then stir into the butter mixture.
  7. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or so.
  8. Preheat oven to 170°C.
  9. Roll the dough into small balls (about ? teaspoon), dusting your fingers with a little flour if the dough is too sticky.
  10. Place the balls on baking paper-lined baking trays with about 3cm around them so they can spread out.
  11. Flatten with flour-dusted fingertips leaving the top as smooth as possible.
  12. Bake for 7–9 minutes until lightly browned.
  13. Lift the baking paper off the tray to a wire rack until the wafers are crisp, then transfer benne wafers to the rack to cool completely.

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