From the 1976 Cross Country Cookery cookbook comes Benne Wafers, a thin cookie that spreads a lot as you cook.
(Benne seeds are unhulled sesame seeds that are sold by the pound in Charleston, SC supermarkets. Benne comes from ‘bene,’ an African word for seeds. According to legend among descendants of negro slaves along the coast, benne is a good luck plant for those who eat thereof or plant in their gardens. It was first brought by slaves from West Africa to the coastal region.
Benne Wafers
Servings 9 dozen
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup benne seeds toasted
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
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Heat oven to 375.
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In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Melt butter over low heat. Remove and stir in brown sugar, then egg and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture. When all flour is moistened, stir in benne seeds.
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Line cookie sheet with wax paper or aluminum foil and grease well with Unsalted shortening. Spoon level teaspoons of batter 2″ apart onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges.
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Remove from oven and slide with paper onto a wire rack to cool. Remove from foil and store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
From Charleston Receipts, Tricentennial Edition
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