Black Sesame Lace Cookies Recipe Epicuriouscom

BLACK SESAME LACE COOKIES

Steps:

• Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon), cream the butter until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue to beat on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until combined. Turn the speed down to low and add the flour and mix until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the orange juice and mix for about 30 seconds; the mixture will look a little broken, which is okay. Mix in the sesame seeds.
• Transfer the batter to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for up to 1 week.
• When ready to bake cookies, position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a very flat baking sheet with parchment paper. (This batter spreads like crazy, so you have to use an extremely flat baking sheet in order for the cookies to bake in circles and not amoeba-like shapes.)
• Pinch off rounded tablespoon-size balls of dough and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart to allow for spreading.
• Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are completely golden brown throughout. Let cool completely (they must be firm to the touch) on the baking sheet on a wire rack. Gently remove the cookies from the parchment.
• The cookies can be stored, in layers separated with sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

SESAME COOKIES

Steps:

• Arrange one oven rack in the upper third of the oven and the other in the lower third. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spread the sesame seeds out on a baking sheet and bake them on the lower rack until toasted to golden brown, about 10 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice as they bake so they toast evenly. While the sesame seeds are toasting, lightly grease two baking sheets with some of the softened butter. (This isn't necessary if you're using non-stick baking sheets.)
• Stir the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl until blended. Beat the eggs and salt together in a separate mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer until blended, then beat in the vanilla. Continue beating, adding the sugar gradually, until smooth. Drop the eight pieces of butter into the bowl and beat until almost smooth. Pour the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and beat at low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before forming and baking the cookies.
• Pinch off a nectarine-size piece of the dough and roll it out with the palm and fingers of your hands, using light pressure, to a rope about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut the rope into 2-inch lengths, and roll them in the sesame seeds to coat completely. Transfer the coated cookies to the prepared baking sheets, and repeat with the remaining dough and seeds.
• Bake the cookies until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from rack to rack and side to side at least once during baking, so the cookies bake and brown evenly. Remove, and cool completely before serving.

BLACK AND WHITE SESAME SEED COOKIES

Steps:

• Cookies:
• Whisk baking powder, salt, and 3 cups cake flour in a small bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl until well combined (butter does not need to be fluffy), about 3 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and beat just to combine. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in dry ingredients. Divide dough in half and form into 3/4"-thick disks. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 325°F. Let 1 disk of dough sit at room temperature until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, shifting often on sheet and dusting with more flour as needed to keep from sticking, until about 1/4" thick. Punch out rounds with cookie cutter and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2" apart. Pat scraps into a 3/4"-thick disk. Chill 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until edges are golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Cut out and bake scraps, then repeat process with remaining disk of dough.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 1 month ahead; freeze. Cookies can be baked 2 weeks ahead; wrap tightly and freeze. Thaw before decorating. Frosting and Assembly Toss black sesame seeds and oil in a medium shallow bowl to coat seeds (this will keep them jet-black and shiny). Place white sesame seeds in another medium shallow bowl.
• Frosting and assembly:
• Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, salt, and 1/3 cup water in a large bowl until smooth. Place half of the icing in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8" tip. (Or use a large resealable plastic bag and cut a small opening in 1 corner.)
• Working with 1 cookie at a time, pipe down center and then around the edge of half of the cookie to create a semicircle. Pipe icing inside border to fill, then use a small offset spatula to evenly spread over half of the cookie. Working quickly so icing is still wet, dip frosted part of cookie into white sesame seeds, patting gently to adhere, then letting excess fall back into bowl. Let sit 15 minutes for icing to set.
• Repeat process on the other half of the cookie, dipping into black sesame seeds, and let sit at least 20 minutes before serving
• Do Ahead
• Cookies can be frosted and decorated 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

SESAME HONEY LACE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring confectioners' sugar, butter, honey, and water to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, and boil 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in sesame seeds, flour, and a pinch salt until mixture is combined well. Cool dough to room temperature. Form and bake cookies as directed below.
• To form and bake lace cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll level 1/2-teaspoons dough into balls and arrange 4 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake cookies in batches in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, 10 minutes, or until cookies are flat and golden. Transfer parchment with cookies to racks to cool. Cool baking sheets and line with fresh parchment between batches.

BLACK SESAME SAUCE

Steps:

• Toast the sesame seeds in a small sauté pan over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the seeds become fragrant and begin to pop. Transfer them to a plate and let them cool completely. Grind in 10-second increments in a spice mill or clean coffee grinder to a very fine paste, stirring the mixture, then grinding again, and repeating this process until the paste is completely smooth and glistening from the oil that has been released. This will take 3 to 5 minutes. (If the seeds are not ground into a very smooth paste, the sauce will be gray rather than deep black.) Transfer the paste to a small bowl, add the salt, and gradually whisk in the oil, sake, mirin, and dashi until smooth.
• Dashi
• Put 3 cups water and the mushrooms in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook at a very gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kombu and simmer very gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the bonito flakes. Let steep, covered, for 8 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the solids and use the broth as you would stock.

BLACK SESAME SEED COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Put black sesame seeds and sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture looks like a black paste.
• Add egg white and vanilla extract and mix.
• Put the mixture in a plastic zip-lock baggie, cut off a tip of the bag; or put in a pastry bag.
• Swirl the mixture out on an ungreased cookie sheet. I like making my cookies 1.5 x 1.5 inches so there are enough swirls, they look snail/turd like. They don't spread so having about an inch apart from the cookies will be fine.
• Bake for 11-15 minutes. If you like your cookies softer, leave them in for 11 minutes. Longer will be crispier.