Pasteli-Greek Honey Sesame Seed Bars

This is one of my favorite sweet bars to eat when I go to Greece. I love seeds and nuts and this is full of them. The traditional version that I always used to eat, when I was younger, was just sesame seeds and whatever else they used to bind the seeds together. In later years, I saw and tried different versions of them, some with peanuts, some with almonds, some also had pumpkin seeds in them and others also included dried fruit.

My favorite combination is sesame seeds, almonds and dried cranberries, so that is what I am making for you today…or you are making for you today 🙂 . You can sub any type of nut or seed for the almonds and your favorite dried fruit for the cranberries. It’s a pretty healthy and satisfying treat!

Since these are freshly made, and don’t have preservatives that we don’t recognize in them 🙂 , they are a little more sticky to the touch…that means you may have to lick your fingers a little after you eat your piece…and be careful, they are addictive!

You will need:

• 1 cup white sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped or left whole
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Mix the seeds, nuts and dried fruit together in a heat proof bowl, set aside.
2. Add honey, sugar and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil, turn down heat and let simmer for a few minutes.
3. Pour honey mixture on the seeds, nuts and fruit and combine well and quickly.
4. Press mixture into an 7-8″ square pan, or equivalent, lined with parchment paper and sprayed well with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 375 until top looks golden brown, about 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden on top.
6. Remove from oven and let cool completely then run a knife around the edges and gently remove with parchment paper on a cutting board and cut into bars.
7. Make sure you wrap leftovers, individually, in parchment paper, these bars are fresh, and unlike the store bought versions, are a lot stickier.
8. Alternately, you can toast the seeds and almonds first, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, add cranberries to boiling syrup for 1 minute then mix nuts and syrup well and press on parchment paper in a sheet pan to the thickness you want or on parchment paper on counter. You do not bake this version. This version will be a little more ooey gooey and not as crispy after it cools, but still wonderful if you don’t want to turn on your oven.