SESAME OVERLOAD COOKIES- A GUEST POST BY MARSHA-BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

I am thankful to the many hours of net browsing- that's how I stumbled in to Marsha Thompson's The Harried Cook. The space is a treasure house for so many lip-smacking bakes. Her Recipe Index screams such delightful recipes ranging from Homemade Boursin to Red Velvet Brownie Bites. The lady is a seasoned baker and takes orders to whip out a whole lot of stuff like Tarts,Muffins,Bread,cupcakes. Besides this she also teaches Baking Basics to beginners with hugely successful workshop(s) in Chennai ! Thank you Marsha for immediately agreeing to do a guest post and you are the BLOGGER OF THE MONTH - MAY 2012

Marsha in her own words :-

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A big, warm hello to all the readers of Bon Appetit! My name is Marsha, but most people know me as The Harried Cook. I am slowly starting to forget my real name myself :p I am so happy to be guest posting here. I have really enjoyed reading the wonderful posts here, and it is really an honor to be featured here! Thanks, Priya, for asking me! <3
Today, I want to share a simple, but oh-so-flavorful cookie recipe with you! If you have visited my blog before, you will know that sesame is one of my favourite flavours. I use it a lot – in my granola, in my fried chicken & fish, on my bread and anywhere else I please! I think a sesame cookie recipe is LONG overdue.

The cookie base I have used here is a basic buttery icebox biscuit recipe – don’t you love slice and bake cookies? So easy and so fun!

Sesame Overload Cookies 

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sesame seeds (black, white or mixed)

Method

1. Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light, creamy and fluffy.
3. Add the egg & vanilla and continue beating for a further 30 seconds.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined and there are no remaining flour pockets. Don’t over-mix.
5. Add 3/4 of the sesame seeds and stir well to incorporate evenly.
6. Chill the dough for about 15 minutes to make it easier to handle.
7. Divide the dough into two halves and roll each dough ball into a long rectangular log about 10-12 inches long.
8. Roll the logs in the remaining sesame seeds, wrap in parchment or clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Since I wanted to bake only one log right away, I froze the other log and used it about 3 weeks later. 
9. Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. 
10. Line your baking tray with parchment paper or Silpat.
11. Using a sharp thin knife, slice the cookies into slices ¼ - ½ inch thick depending on how you like them.
12. Place the cookies on the lined baking trays, and bake for about 10 minutes or until the tops are just starting to brown. Don’t over-bake.
13. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
14. Store in an airtight box and enjoy!

A lot of people tasted these cookies – my husband, my daughter, my doggie, my parents, my brother, my aunts, my friends – and everyone loved them! Only one of my aunts felt that she would have preferred a little less sesame seeds in the cookie, but that didn’t stop her from eating four cookies in one sitting!  If you like, you could try the recipe with less sesame seeds, but I love it just like this!

These are not really easy to photograph because of the sesame seeds speckling the entire cookie - inside and out - but that’s what makes these cookies so delicious! If you need any more reasons to make this cookie, sesame seed is really good for you, you know? I have heard however, that eating too much of sesame in one sitting can give you a tummy ache – much like peanuts. So as tempting as it may be, try not to eat too many of these in one go! 


I really hope you all enjoyed what I had to share with you today! I really loved guest posting for you, Priya! Thanks again for asking me! Have a wonderful week, all!

E.N.J.O.Y