Sesame, Pecan and Date Cookies
Semolina shortbread with dates and pecans, rolled in sesame seeds.
Servings 14 cookies
Ingredients
- 100 g semolina flour (coarse and semi-coarse)
- 100 g plain flour
- 30 g caster sugar
- 90 g butter room temperature, cubed
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zested, to get 1 tsp, and juiced, to get 2 tsp
- 100 g roasted pecans
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds plus 1 ½ tsp extra for sprinkling
- 10 Medjool dates stones removed, 160g net
- 2 tsp fennel seeds toasted and finely ground in a mortar
- 2 tbsp orange juice
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas mark 4. Put the semolina, flour, sugar and butter in a large bowl with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Using the tips of your fingers, rub the mixture to a breadcrumb consistency. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and a teaspoon of water, mix into a pliable dough and set aside.
- Put the pecans, sesame seeds, dates, fennel, lemon zest and orange juice in a food processor and blitz to a thick, almost smooth paste.
- Put the dough between two sheets of baking paper, then roll it out into a roughly 34cm x 22cm rectangle that’s about 3mm thick. Using a spatula, carefully spread the date paste evenly over the dough, then, using the paper to help you, roll it into a log about 6-7cm in diameter.
- Brush the top of the log with a little water, scatter on the remaining sesame seeds and use the paper to press the seeds into the top of the dough. Cut the log at an angle into 2cm-thick slices.
- Arrange the slices seam side down on a lined baking sheet and with sesame-studded side facing up. Bake for 20-25 minutes, , rotating the cookies once halfway, until slightly golden on top, then remove and leave to cool.