Sesame Blossoms

 These taste even better than peanut butter blossoms, and are, I think, prettier.

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Sesame Blossoms

Source: Washington Post

Yields about 30

Altitude adjustments for elevations from about 4000-5000 feet:

Add 2 T flour

Subtract 1 T sugar

Scantly measure the baking soda 

Generous 1 3/4 c AP flour

1 teas baking soda

7 T unsalted butter, at room temp

2/3 c packed light brown sugar

1/4  granulated sugar

1/2 teas salt

1 large egg, at room temp

2/3 c well-stirred tahini

1 teas vanilla extract

1/2 c untoasted sesame seeds, for coating

approximately 30 chocolate kisses (I highly recommend dark chocolate, if you can find them)

Stir the flour and baking soda together in a small bowl. Beat the butter, sugars and salt together on low speed in either a stand mixer or using a hand mixer and a bowl. After a few seconds raise the speed and beat at medium for about a minute, just until completely combined. However, the mixture shouldn't be fluffy.

Add the egg, tahini and vanilla, and mix at medium just until smooth. Scrape down after 15 seconds and then beat for another 15 seconds or so until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. 

Stir in the flour mixture and mix at low until the dough just comes together. Try not to overmix and stop when there are no dry patches. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula and using a folding motion, mix by hand to ensure there are no unmixed portions. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for between 1 and 24 hours. 

After chilling, place the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare 2 rimmed baking sheets by covering with parchment paper.

Measure the dough into portions using a heaping tablespoon full or a number 50 ice cream or cookie scoop. If you have a scale, the cookies should weigh about 20 grams. Roll each ball generously in the sesame seeds and roll once more to make sure the seeds adhere. Place them on the parchment paper about 2inches apart. You can place 12 on each sheet.

Cook one sheet at a time for approximately 10 minutes, just until the cookies puff up somewhat and are light brown and a little crackly. Pull the pan from the oven and set a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, pushing gently to embed it slightly. Return the sheet to the oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes until cookies are golden brown and somewhat flatter. The chocolate kisses will have softened but will hold their shape. 

Slide the parchment off the pan carefully and let the cookies cool on top of the counter. After a couple of hours the chocolate should have firmed up somewhat but they shouldn't be hard.