Yields 20-25 bars.
- Prep time: 5min
- Cook time: 15min
- Total time: 20min
- Difficulty: Basic
Pasteli are chewy energy snacks made with sesame seeds and honey that are popular in Greece. This candy comes in a variety of flavors, the majority of which include nuts. You can use any nuts or seeds you want, including almonds and pistachios, as well as flaxseed and pumpkin seeds. Simply ensure that the honey to seeds/nuts ratio is 1:1.
Ingredients:
- 200g raw sesame seeds
- 50g raw pistachios
- 50g raw almonds
- 300g honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Line a 25x15cm baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to cover the bottom and sides. Heat the honey in a small saucepan until it is pourable. In a separate large pan, toast the sesame seeds and nuts for 3-4 minutes. Pour warm honey over seeds, then sprinkle with salt and mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the honey turns golden brown and is completely absorbed, about 10 minutes. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spoon. Allow to cool to room temperature.
When the pasteli has cooled, cut it into individual bars. Store in an airtight container, with a sheet of baking paper between each layer. (this prevents sticking).
Commentary.
Also known as Pasteli – Greek Sesame & Honey Candy | Pasteli – Grčki Slatkiš Od Sezama I Meda.
Since seeing them on Peter’s blog Souvlaki For The Soul, these sweet and chewy Greek treats have been haunting me. Just so you know, that was over a year ago, and I’ve been craving them ever since. I knew I had to make those perfect little golden bars someday because they looked so inviting. I have no idea what took me so long.
There’s something unsettlingly exciting about a candy that’s both sweet and tasty, but also healthy and nutritious. When you eat it, you almost feel like you’re cheating. It tastes like it should be unhealthy, but it isn’t. It’s like a love affair in your mouth when you bite into one of those gorgeous bars and the tiny little sesame seeds start popping in your mouth and mixing with sweet sticky honey.
Pasteli are made up of only two ingredients: sesame seeds and honey in their most basic form. Some pasteli recipes include the addition of nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, or almonds. Honey and sesame seeds combine to make delightfully chewy wafers that stick to your teeth but taste fantastic nonetheless.
Pasteli can be eaten as a candy, a lunchtime snack, or an energy boost, and they go especially well with tea. I even went so far as to eat them for breakfast instead of a muesli bar. I did, in fact, eat candy for breakfast. No, I’m not upset about it. Sue me.