sesame shortbread

This recipe caught my eye in the latest "Elle a Table" cooking insert.

It boasted that an oven wasn't needed...after reading through the recipe...um, well you still are using a toaster to "bake" these, which is an oven of sorts.

Adapted from "Elle a Table" : Oyatsu no Jikan Vol 2 : makes 18 or so cookies

50 grams butter, unsalted
25 grams light brown sugar
25 grams almond powder
75 grams flour
17 grams black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons milk (optional)**

Cream butter in a bowl.
Add sugar and beat until it turns whitish.
Add the almond powder, flour and sesame seeds.
Mix with a rubber spatula.
Add the milk.**
The mixture should come together but not be too wet.
Put some plastic wrap on it and put into the refrig for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes, put a piece of foil onto your toaster oven pan and with a teaspoon, scoop out balls, roll them briefly in your hands, then place them on the foil and press them a little in the middle.
Take out another piece of foil and seal the cookies as best as you can.
Toast for 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes, if they are pale, take the foil off and toast some more, watching to make sure they don't burn.

NOTES: Maybe it was me, but after following the directions, I literally had "dust".

So I added some milk. If you don't drink milk, you could probably use soy milk or almond milk.

**if your dough comes together before adding the milk, then leave the milk out.

I guess if you only have a toaster this recipe is good, but I think using the oven would've been faster. Not to mention, I wouldn't have wasted so much foil.

After taking the foil off, I ended up toasting them for 8 more minutes (probably because of the milk).

These were flaky, delicious. I like the nuttiness from the sesame seeds.

I would make these again, but would definitely bake them. Maybe at 350F (180C) for 20 minutes or so.

If you try this, let me know how it goes for you.