Sesame Date Cakes

Dense little cakes bind chopped dates and honey into a thick paste with nutty sesame seeds, sesame oil, and husky emmer flour. They echo the pre-dawn bakers of Emmer Molds Before Sunrise, when ash and wet grain already filled the workers’ town south of Giza.

Serves 4

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dates
• 1 1/2 cups sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup emmer flour
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. 1Pit and finely chop dates, then combine with water and honey in a saucepan.
2. 2Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring until a thick paste forms, then remove from heat.
3. 3Mix emmer flour, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and salt into the date paste until a dense dough comes together.
4. 4Shape into small rustic cakes, press remaining sesame seeds onto the tops.
5. 5Bake on a greased tray at 350°F for 15 minutes until firm and lightly golden.