My history with “Semsmieh” has always been a love affair, it was one of thoses confections we always had around when I was a kid. I think it is time to branch out our blog with a good semsmieh recipe, or to be more accurate, I will show you two totally different versions of semsmieh, the crispy hard bars and the soft chewy candy. The beauty of both recipes is that they are super easy to make and are a fun  project to impress people you serve them to! They are similar to a point that both are made on the stovetop and both include sesame seeds and sugar, but they are quite different in taste, texture and technique. Sesame seeds are packed with nutrients and are full of healthy fats and fibers – this makes semsmieh a better option than many other cookies and bars. Keep these two recipes in your repertoire, you will find yourself coming back here once you give them a try!

Semsmieh/ Lebanese Sesame Candy

Version 1: The crispy hard sesame bars(semsmieh) have that pleasant crunch in every bite, usually wrapped with cellophane papers. This is my late granny’s recipe, there is something special about her old-fashioned recipes – grandmothers are wise and hold secret ingredients. I remember she would drop a plate at our house every time she makes semsmieh. A few days ago, I fondly craved those semsmieh bars and many other foods she made for us. Every bite filled me at once with nostalgia, to keep her spirt and memory alive, thought of sharing one of her great recipes with my readers. The crispy hard semsmieh can be easily whipped up in 20 minutes, and when they are prettily packaged, they make a great edible gift to people you care about; seriously, you will fall in love with these bites – guaranteed!

Version 2: The soft chewy sesame bars (semsmieh) are more like a nougat – earthy, sweet and nutty; another sesame candy that evokes distinctive childhood memories, years and years later nothing has changed! I would drive miles and make a trip from Beirut to Saida to buy the chewy semsmieh. There are many variations of sesame candy around the world, but these two recipes come from Lebanon and use few basic ingredients; both are so addictive, and both are so popular at our house. Every time I serve them, I hear a chorus of wows!

Now let’s start with the crispy hard semsmieh

How to make the crispy hard semsmieh

Use white sesame seeds and lightly toast them. Transfer the sesame seeds to an oil-free skillet and cook over medium heat, observe closely and keep on stirring to avoid burning them . Set aside as soon as they put on a pale golden color. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes.

Making the hard semsmieh is actually fairly easy, but before you get started, I highly recommend you get the following things prepared next to you, the sugar syrup hardens quickly, so no waste time here!

• 2 parchment papers
• A rolling pin
• 1 teasoon butter

The concept of making crispy hard semsmieh. You need to make a dry caramel first, in other words the sugar is cooked by itself over low heat until it liquefies. Remove from heat, add the butter stir quickly and add the toasted sesame seeds. Give a quick stir. Transfer the sesame-sugar paste between two parchment papers and roll out with a rolling pin (you have to work quickly before the paste hardens) to 1/2 cm / 5 mm thick. With a sharp knife, score into 2×2 inches /5×5 cm squares.

To make a dry caramel, place sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat (low temperature is the key to success). The edges will start to liquefy first, it will melt unevenly, don’t stir. To avoid scorching, shake the saucepan slightly, but be careful not to stir. You will notice that part of the sugar will melt and go brown while other parts stay white.

The sugar will slowly turn to a brown golden caramel of one texture. Here, you have to keep a close eye on your caramel; the color should be clear rich golden brown with no lumps, but not burned. I don’t use a thermometer, I just rely on my senses. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir quickly; add the toasted sesame seeds. Give a quick stir.

Transfer the sesame-sugar paste between two parchment papers and roll out (you have to work quickly before the paste hardens) to 1/2 cm / 5 mm thick.

Cut the edges to create a large square. Score into 2×2 inches /5×5 cm squares. Keep on parchment paper until totally cooled down. Transfer to air tight contatiner.

• Storage note: Store the hard semsmieh in a zip-top bag or an airtight container. Keep away from humidity and moisture. It should last for 10 days, as long as you keep semsmieh in an airtight container.
• For a simple wrapping idea: Pop your homemade semsmieh in a jar and tie a ribbon around the top for a beautiful edible gift.

The crispy hard sesame bars(semsmieh)

•  Prep Time: 10 minutes
•  Cook Time: 20 minutes
•  Servings: makes about 20 small bars
•  Author: Hadia Zebib Khanafer

Ingredients:

• For the hard crispy semsmieh:
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup white sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Transfer the sesame seeds to an oil-free skillet and cook over medium heat, observe closely and keep on stirring to avoid burning them . Set aside as soon as they put on a pale golden color. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Start by making a dry caramel: place sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat.  It is imporatant to keep over low heat. The edges will start to liquefy first, it will melt unevenly, don’t stir. To avoid scorching, shake the saucepan slightly, but be careful not to stir. You will notice that part of the sugar will melt and go brown while other parts stay white. The sugar will slowly turn to a brown golden caramel of one texture. Here, you have to keep a close eye on your caramel; the color should be rich brown but not burned. you don’t want the caramel to burn and become bitter. I don’t use a thermometer, I just rely on my senses.
3. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir quickly; add the toasted sesame seeds. Give a quick stir. Transfer the sesame paste between two parchment papers and roll out (you have to work quickly before the paste hardens) to 1/2 cm / 5 mm thick.. With a sharp knife, score into 2×2 inches /5×5 cm squares. Set aside to completely cool down.
4. Store the hard semsmieh in a zip-top bag or an airtight container. Keep away from humidity and moisture. It should last for 10 days, as long as you keep semsmieh in an airtight container.

Soft Chewy Sesame Bars (Semsmieh)

Soft chewy semsmieh bars are equally good with different texture and flavor A naturally gluten-free snack or dessert with no added oil or hydrogenated fats. You are just toasting the sesame seeds, making sugar syrup on the stovetop and mixing all together, but in testing, I got better flavor when I foamed the chewy semsmieh with baking soda; it just provides a guarantee of a perfect result just like the sweet shop semsmieh you buy in Lebanon. But you need to pour the semsmieh directly to the parchment lined loaf tin.

How to make the soft chewy sesame bars (semsmieh)!

Use white sesame seeds and lightly toast them. Transfer the sesame seeds to an oil-free skillet and cook over medium heat, observe closely and keep on stirring to avoid burning them . Set aside as soon as they put on a pale golden color. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes.

To make the syrup: Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a large pot, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low and simmer (uncovered) for 11 minutes. Remove from heat and directly add the baking soda. The syrup will foam a bit, give a quick stir and add the toasted sesame seeds, stir to integrate the sugar syrup and sesame together.

Note: An instant-read candy thermometer is helpful for monitoring the sugar syrup, a combination of sugar, water and lemon that’s heated to the firm ball stage. The firm-ball stage is when heated sugar syrup reaches a thick consistency that holds its shape when cooled in cold water.  This stage occurs between 250 and  255 degrees Fahrenheit.

Be fast and transfer the sesame mixture to the parchment- lined loaf tin. Set aside to completely cool down. Don’t be tempted to cut while it is warm. Keep to stiffen for about 4 hours.

Soft Chewy Sesame Bars (Semsmieh)

•  Prep Time: 5 minutes
•  Cook Time: 10 minutes, not including cooling time
•  Servings: 20 bars
•  Author: Hadia Zebib Khanafer

Ingredients:

• 5 cups white sesame seeds
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1. Grease the base and sides of a loaf tin (capacity of 3 cups) with a small piece of butter, and lay a piece of parchment paper inside the tin, to cover the base and the sides. Grease the parchment paper encasing the tin. Set aside.
2. To make the syrup: Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a large pot, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low and simmer (uncovered) for 11 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and directly add the baking soda. The syrup will foam a bit, give a quick stir and add the toasted sesame seeds, stir to integrate the sugar syrup and sesame together.
4. Be fast and transfer the sesame mixture to the parchment- lined loaf tin. Set aside to completely cool down. Don’t be tempted to cut while it is warm. Keep to stiffen up for about 4 hours.
5. Raise the sides of the parchment paper to remove the semsmieh out of the cake tin. Cut to equal bars! Happy eating!

• Storage: the chewy sesame bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.
• Food gifts are always a favorite, individually wrap with clear cellophane plastic bag and tie with a ribbon. Semsmieh makes a perfect edible gift; the ones you create are better than pre-packaged ones you can buy at the shops.

Thank you to all the readers who purchased “Hadia, Lebanese Style Recipes”. If you have a minute to spare, please rate and review the book. We would like to know what you think! Here is the link to AMAZON

Looking for more sesame seeds based recipes, check these favorites on our blog:

Zaatar and Sumac Crackers

Lebanese Sweet Kaak

Kaak alasreya/ Kaak/ Lebanese Street Bread

Simit (Tyrkish Sesame Bread)

Meshtah

Turkish Tahini Sweet Rolls

Zalabia

TO PIN IT

What is your favorite semsmieh , the crispy hard or the chewy stuff? Let me know your in the comment section!

If you make any of these two semsmieh recipes, leave a comment below or share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia’s Lebanese Cuisine