Barazek

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Finely chop the pistachios if not already prepared.

   20 g unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
2. 2

   In a bowl, rub the plain flour, icing sugar, softened butter, and salt together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, then mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork it or the biscuits can become tough.

   75 g plain flour20 g icing sugar30 g unsalted butter, softened1 pinch fine salt1 egg yolk2 ml vanilla extract
3. 3

   In a small bowl, mix the sesame seeds with the honey until the seeds are lightly sticky and evenly coated. This helps them adhere and caramelise during baking.

   40 g white sesame seeds15 g honey
4. 4

   Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten each ball slightly, press one side firmly into the sesame mixture, then press the other side into the chopped pistachios. Flatten gently again into thin discs about 5 cm wide; thin cookies bake up crisper, which is characteristic of Barazek.

   40 g white sesame seeds15 g honey20 g unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
5. 5

   Arrange the discs on the prepared tray with a little space between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are light golden and the sesame side smells nutty. If they still feel very soft in the centre, bake 1 minute longer, but do not let the pistachios darken too much.

6. 6

   Cool the biscuits on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. They will crisp further as they cool. Serve once just warm or fully cooled.

Origin & History

Barazek is a well-known Levantine biscuit, especially associated with Syria and Lebanon, where it is sold in bakeries and sweet shops. It is prized for its contrast of textures: a crisp buttery biscuit, a glossy sesame crust, and a pistachio-coated underside. The style reflects the region's long love of sesame, nuts, and delicate tea-time sweets.