Honey Sesame Pastelli
I have always loved these candies, but once you make your own, you will never eat another store bought Honey Sesame Candy again.
These are a Greek sweet treat, simple and nutritious, but you don't even think about the nutrition because you are stopped cold by the lovely rich caramel-y honey, the hint of orange and the toasted sesame seeds...
These are traditionally made for Greek celebrations, especially weddings.  Honey and sesame are both symbols of fertility, so they are offered to the bride after the wedding ceremony.  I thought that since Valentines Day is a romantic holiday this treat would be perfect.

Honey Sesame Pastelli

2 cups of sesame seeds
1 1/3 cup good honey
1-2 teaspoons of orange zest (1-2 small oranges)
1 teaspoon good vanilla (optional)

Prepare a sheet pan sprayed with PAM, or lined with parchment paper or Silpat with no oil.
I add about 2 ounces of black sesame seeds just for a speckled look, but this is optional. Cook the honey, orange zest and sesame seeds together gently stirring over medium heat, until the mixture is golden brown and you can slowly start to smell the toasting of the seeds.

Keep stirring every couple of minutes, scraping the sides of the pan often. When soft crack stage (280') is reached, remove from heat, add vanilla if desired and pour into sheet pan.

After it cools for at least 10 minutes, you can roll candy with rolling pin to flatten uniformly. Allow to cool completely. Cut into squares or other desired shapes.  Wrap with parchment or wax paper.

These are commercially made with white sugar which takes the texture to a hard, crunchy, very sugary candy.  This authentic version is a softer, chewier, pure honey treat.
Simple. Magical.

I've also decided on my other Valentine Candy.  I'm doing 4 different kinds.  Honeycomb Brulee (of course!), Homemade Conversation Hearts, Honey Sesame Pastelli and Gourmet Fruit Jellies. My Fruit Jellies will be in several flavors...so far I'm doing Strawberry/Champagne, Pomegranate Blueberry, Honey Key Lime & Apple-Honey-Jalapeno.  More flavors are being concocted in my head still...I'd like to have about 7 flavors, but I'll settle for 5.  :)