Nigel Slater’s sesame recipes (2024)

The lid has barely been on the jar of sesame seeds this week. The tiny ivory seeds acted as coating for crab cakes, a dressing for spring cabbage (with lemon and mint) and a seasoning (with hazelnuts, almonds, cumin seeds and dried thyme) for warm flatbread drenched with olive oil. Best moment of all was their inclusion in a sort of sesame praline, to bring crunch to a cheesecake and contrast to a calming buttermilk panna cotta. Like the sesame snaps you can buy, but nuttier, less sweet.

Sesame seeds offer nothing until they are toasted, lightly, in a dry pan, when all their deep nutty notes come to the fore. Don’t take your eye off them as they toast, the little devils burn in a heartbeat.

Sesame brittle

sesame seeds 50g
caster sugar 80g

Have ready a nonstick baking sheet. Warm a shallow pan over a moderate heat, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the surface of the pan in a single layer. Watch carefully, shaking the pan from time to time, until the seeds are pale gold. Scatter the sugar over the seeds and leave to melt. As the sugar melts and turns gold, tip the pan left and right so the sugar melts evenly. Very gently, stir any bits that are browning into the middle of the pan. As soon as the sugar is honey-coloured, tip on to the baking sheet smoothing into a thin pool, then leave to set. Remove from the sheet by prising a palette knife underneath.

Cheesecake with sesame and mango

Serves 8-10
For the sponge:
caster sugar 125g
butter 125g
eggs 2 large
self-raising flour 125g
sesame seeds 25g

For the filling:
gelatine 2 leaves (4g)
double cream 350ml
caster sugar 150g
lemon 1
cream cheese 650g
vanilla extract 1 tsp

To finish:
ripe mangoes 850g
lemon juice a little
crushed sesame brittle (recipe above) 3 tbsp

Set the oven at 170C/gas mark 3. Line the base of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.

Beat the sugar and butter to a soft, light cream. Break the eggs into a bowl, beating them lightly with a fork to combine yolks and whites then introduce them slowly to the butter and sugar mixture, beating continuously. If the mixture curdles, then stir in a little of the flour.

Add the flour and half the sesame seeds then transfer to the lined baking tin. Scatter the remaining seeds over the top. Bake for about 25 minutes till springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to settle for a few minutes before running a palette knife around the edge to free the cake from its tin, then leaving it on a cooling rack till cold.

Make the cheesecake filling: place the gelatine in a bowl of cold water and set aside. Pour the double cream into the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a balloon whisk, add the sugar then beat slowly till thick and creamy. Finely grate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon juice. Warm 100ml of the juice in a small pan, remove the softened gelatine then stir into the juice until dissolved.

Fold the cream cheese, vanilla extract and the lemon zest into the cream mixture with a large spoon, then fold in the lemon and gelatine.

Slice the cooled cake in half horizontally, then place the bottom half back in the cake tin. Transfer the filling to the tin, spooning it on top of the layer of cake and smoothing the surface. Place the second half of the cake on top, cover with clingfilm, then place a weight on the cake. Leave the cake in the fridge for 2 hours to set.

Peel the mangoes and remove the flesh from their stones in thick slices, then chop or cut into thick matchsticks. Toss the mangoes in lemon juice and spread on top of the cake, scatter over the crushed brittle or serve at its side. Remove the cake from the tin and slice.

Buttermilk panna cotta with sesame brittle

You will also need 4 small ramekins or cups.

Put the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water to soften.

Pour the cream into a small, nonstick saucepan, add the sugar then bring almost to the boil. Remove from the heat, gently squeeze the water from the softened gelatine, add to the cream and let the gelatine dissolve. Pour the buttermilk into the cream and gelatine, stir gently then pour through a fine sieve over a jug.

Pour the panna cotta mixture into the 4 small moulds, place in the fridge and leave to set for four hours.

Crush the praline coarsely using a pestle and mortar or the back of a wooden spoon. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over simmering water.

To serve, unmould the panna cotta. An easy way to do this is to dip the dishes into hot water, run a palette knife around the edge to loosen them, then turn upside down on to a little dish. A firm shake should dislodge the panna cotta from its home.

Spoon the chocolate over the panna cotta, then crumble over the crushed sesame praline.

Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @NigelSlater