Pasteli-Greek Sesame Candy

Pasteli-Greek Sesame Candy is a traditional sweet treat, easy to make at home with only two ingredients, honey and sesame seeds.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Resting time before serving 30

Servings pieces

Calories 158kcal

Place a skillet over high heat.
Toast the sesame seeds for 2-3 minutes until golden.
Remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the honey over medium heat-high heat.
Bring to a boil.
Add the sesame seeds, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pour the mixture into the baking sheet and spread evenly with the wet wooden spoon.
Cover the top with a second parchment paper and spread it evenly with a glass jar, pressing to gather and flatten its surface.
Let pasteli cool for 30 minutes.
With a sharp chef's knife, cut the pasteli into large rectangular pieces and serve.

For crispy pasteli, add a half cup of sugar to the honey.
To customize your pasteli, add nuts and/or dried fruits such as raisins, dates, almonds, walnuts, etc.
You can also customize how thick you like your pasteli. I prefer mine thin and crispy so I spread it on a large baking sheet. You can use a smaller sheet or skip it and spread the candy only on the parchment paper. Pasteli can be as thick as 5mm / about ⅕″.
Add lemon or orange zest while mixing the sesame candy.
Spice up the honey while heating it with a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, or star anise. Remove before adding the sesame seeds.
You don't need to refrigerate pasteli, it does well at room temperature.
Store pasteli sesame candy in a cool place away from moisture and heat.

The nutritional analysis is only an estimate based on available ingredients and the recipe’s preparation.