Benne-Seed Wafers Recipe
- 1/3 cup very fresh sesame (benne) seeds
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 cup cold lard or vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- coarse salt for sprinkling wafers
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a shallow baking pan spread seeds evenly and toast in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool seeds.
- Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and table salt. With your fingertips or a pastry blender blend in lard or shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add seeds and milk, stirring until a soft dough is formed. Divide dough in half. Keeping remaining piece of dough wrapped in plastic wrap, roll out 1 piece between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/8 inch thick (about an 8 1/2-inch square) and remove top sheet of plastic wrap. With a sharp knife cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares, reserving scraps. Peel squares off plastic wrap and arrange about 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Roll out and cut remaining piece of dough in same manner. Reroll reserved scraps and cut in same manner.
- Bake wafers in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle wafers with coarse salt and transfer to a rack to cool. Wafers may be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
