Sesame Ghriba

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz)sesame seeds, ground
• 100 g (3.5 oz)flour
• 120 g (4 oz)sugar
• 1egg
• 1/2 tspbaking powder

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) to ensure it reaches the right temperature before baking. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking and to make cleanup easier.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 200 g (7 oz) of ground sesame seeds, 100 g (3.5 oz) of flour, and 120 g (4 oz) of sugar. Stir these dry ingredients together using a wooden spoon or spatula until they are evenly mixed. This ensures that the sugar is distributed throughout the flour and sesame seeds, which will help the cookies bake evenly.
3. Add 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to the dry mixture. Mix well until a dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky but firm enough to hold its shape when pressed together. If it feels too dry, you can add a teaspoon of water to help bind the ingredients.
4. Using your hands, shape the dough into small balls, roughly the size of a walnut. Place each ball onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between them to allow for spreading during baking.
5. Gently flatten each ball with the palm of your hand or the back of a spoon. This will help them bake more evenly and achieve the characteristic cracked surface of ghriba.
6. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake at 170°C (340°F). The ghriba are ready when they are set and have developed a cracked surface, with a light golden color at the edges. This should take about 12-15 minutes, but rely on the visual cues rather than timing alone.
7. Once baked, remove the ghriba from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your sesame ghriba with a cup of tea!