I was introduced to Tahini cookies earlier this year and instantly fell in love with this sweet-savoury treat. I tried and tested different flavour combinations but, Rose & Cardamom has to be my favourite. In Ayurveda it is a combination particularly balancing for pitta and is also well loved in Middle Eastern cuisine.
This balanced, sweet treat is best enjoyed with a warm cup of Chai. They are easy to make, a perfect blend of flavour & consistency and there is something about a touch of Rose that makes the ritual feel luxurious.
Ingredients:
2 cups almond meal
2/3 cup of hulled tahini
1/2 cup of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of Cardamom
1 tablespoon of rose water
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
optional: sesame seeds and pink rose petals to garnish
Method:
First, preheat the oven to 170 degrees on a regular baking setting. You will need one mixing bowl and a medium saucepan. In the saucepan combine the tahini, maple and vanilla essence. Heat and stir till it becomes like a runny sauce (5-10mins) then turn off the heat and leave to cook (5-10mins).
In a large bowl combine almond meal, cardamon and a splash of rose water. Then once tahini mixture has cooled slowly pour in and mix together with the almond meal mix until a dough is created (note: it’ll be quite sticky)
Then line a flat making tray with baking paper. Take 1-2 tablespoons worth of dough and roll into a ball then, flatten into a cookie. Recipe makes about 8-12 depending on size. Bake for only 10 minutes ~ very important as they bake fast! Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes and ready to serve!
Notes:
I often get tempted to skip the step that heats the Tahini sauce when you are short on time ~ whilst the recipe can still work out, heating the mixture is a game changer and what makes this recipe perfect!
Make sure to only bake for 10 minutes - these cooking bake very fast and even if they still seem a little bit soft at that time, trust me - they are ready and will overcook very fast if cooked even a few minutes longer. Best to take out of the often to cool directly after cooking.
A tablespoon of Rose water will be more than enough ~ a little goes a long way!