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Tobago benne balls
Benne balls: hard sesame and molasses candies from Tobago
Benne is the West African word for sesame that survived in Tobago, and benne balls are the little brown, crunchy candies sold in paper bags at Scarborough market and by vendors on the beach roads. Toasted seeds are stirred into molasses and sugar boiled to the hard stage, then rolled while warm into marble-sized balls. The common mistake is under-boiling the syrup, which gives soft, sticky balls that never set; test it in cold water. Work quickly and carefully, as the syrup is very hot. Chef's tip: toast the seeds only to pale gold; they keep darkening in the hot syrup and turn bitter if they start dark.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 7 oz white sesame seeds
- 4 oz brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oilfor your hands and the tray
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toast 7 oz white sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until pale golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate.
6 minStep 2: Oil a tray lightly with ½ tsp vegetable oil. In a heavy pan, stir 4 oz brown sugar, ¼ cup molasses, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp lime juice and 1 pinch salt over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3: Boil without stirring until a drop in cold water forms a hard ball that cracks when bitten, about 275°F, 8–10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Take off the heat and quickly stir in the sesame until coated. Tip onto the oiled tray and leave 1–2 minutes, until cool enough to handle but still pliable.
2 minStep 5: Rub your hands with the rest of ½ tsp vegetable oil and roll teaspoons of the mixture into firm balls. Leave to harden for 20 minutes, then store airtight.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tobago benne balls take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
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