GLUTEN-FREE BARAZEK
Sesame and Pistachio Biscuits
On our recent trip to Jordan we found a cornucopia of fabulous sweet treats on just about every street corner, but alas, those dainty, nutty, syrupy delights almost exclusively contained gluten.
While we may never master a gluten-free filo pastry to make all the wonderful variations of baklava that looked so inviting, we have perfected a gluten-free Barazek, which is a delicious, very crisp biscuit, imbedded with pistachio nuts on the bottom and honey and sesame seeds on top.
Barazek, all the flavours of the Middle East without the gluten ….. hooray.
We think you’ll love them.
Rosie
BARAZEK
(Middle Eastern sesame and pistachio biscuits)
Makes 25-30
125 ml water
100 gm caster sugar
1.5 tablespoons honey
65 gm clarified butter (ghee) or unsalted butter, softened
100 gm pure icing sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon dry yeast
40 ml warm water
185 gm Revenge No. 2 Gluten-free Almond Plain Flour Mix
75 gm pistachios, roughly chopped
100 gm sesame seeds, toasted
In a small saucepan, over a low heat, combine the water, caster sugar and honey. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 170°. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cream the cooled, melted butter and icing sugar.
Mix the yeast and warm water and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Add the flour to the creamed butter and sugar. Add the yeast and water and mix until smooth. The mixture will be quite soft and sticky. Add a little more flour if it’s impossible to handle.
Place the pistachios in a small bowl. Place the sesame seeds in another small bowl and add enough sugar/honey syrup just to moisten (1-2 teaspoons).
With damp hands, and using 2 teaspoonsful (1 dessertspoon), roll the biscuit mixture into balls. Place each ball on top of the pistachios and flatten a little. Turn over and place the other side on top of the sesame mixture and flatten well.
Transfer to prepared baking tray, sesame side up, and repeat, leaving room for spreading, until you have used up all the mixture. Top the biscuits with any left over sesame mixture, spreading it evenly.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until quite golden brown.
Stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Don’t allow them to cool on the baking tray as they will stick.
Store in an airtight container.