Pasteli is Greek Honey Sesame Candy that’s incredibly delicious and easy to make at home. I have so many fond memories of my grandmother making this for us in her kitchen. My siblings and I would start eating it the minute it was cool enough to touch. These days I make it for my family and friends. It takes just minutes on the stovetop, plus a little cooling time and it’s ready!
There are two ingredients in this candy: honey and sesame seeds. In this episode I’m using a delicious Orange Blossom Honey from 776 Deluxe. I love their products and the varieties of honey they sell. This varietal has a light floral flavor that pairs very well with the toasted sesame seeds.
This recipe needs to be made start to finish without walking away. Toasting the sesame seeds isn’t hard, but it requires care because they burn easily. They should be lightly browned and fragrant, then removed from the stovetop immediately. Then, warm the honey through so it’s nearly liquified. Don’t touch it with your hands because it could burn you easily. Once the honey is warmed through, remove it from the heat and immediately stir in the sesame seeds.
I use a clean wooden board for rolling out the candy because I find that surface the easiest to work on. Use a very sharp knife to mark the bars right away before they cool. They are nearly impossible to cut once they’ve cooled completely.
From here the candy can be eaten right up, stored in a container with a lid, or wrapped individually in waxed paper. These would make a great gift for friends and would be nice in a cookie or candy gift box at the holiday season. I absolutely love the way it looks on a large platter or cake stand at a party. Guests can just nibble on a piece after dinner.
I hope you enjoy this traditional Greek candy!
Sesame Candy | Pasteli
This is a traditional homemade Greek candy. You can buy it in the shop or make it at home. Whenever I make this it doesn’t last the day in our house. It only takes two ingredients and is very easy to make for any occasion.
Makes about 15 pieces
Equal parts honey and sesame seeds
8.8 oz mastic honey, or any regular honey you have available
8.8 oz white sesame seeds
Wax paper for packing if desired
In a dry skillet, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until light brown and fragrant. This takes a few minutes, do not leave them because they’ll burn quickly.
Remove the sesame seeds to a bowl and add the honey to the skillet, warm it for 2 minutes over medium heat, whisking constantly it’s warmed through.
Pour the sesame seeds back into the pan for another 2 minutes , stirring the mixture constantly to make sure it’s evenly incorporated. Be careful, the mixture is very hot!
Scrape the mixture onto a smooth wooden board and use a spatula to flatten the mixture. Then, take a sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin to roll the sesame candy out to be about 1/4-inch thick and about 8-inches long and 4-inches wide.
Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into pieces in a desired shape. In this episode they are about 2x3 inch rectangles.
Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT.. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekascollective.com or call 203.658.8659.