Ingredients
Seeds
- 400 gsesame seeds, benne
Syrup
- 200 gdark brown sugar
- 150 mlmolasses
- or 150 ml dark cane syrup
- 60 mlwater
- a pinch of salt
Sometimes added
- 1 teaspoongrated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoonbutter
- a splash of dark rum
Equipment
- a heavy pan
- a sugar thermometer
- an oiled tray
Directions
- Use hulled white sesame seeds. They should smell fresh and nutty. Discard any that smell sharp or bitter. Put them in a wide dry pan over a medium heat.
- Shake the pan constantly from the start. Sesame burns within seconds if it is left alone. Keep shaking right through that popping. They turn from white to a light golden brown.
- Tip them out of the pan immediately. Spread them on a tray to cool. A warning about the syrup comes next. Keep children out of the kitchen. Never touch or taste the syrup in the pan. Put the brown sugar, molasses and water in a heavy pan. Add the pinch of salt to the pan.
- Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring and let it boil. Take it to about 118C for a chewy benny cake. That is called the soft ball stage. Drop a little syrup into cold water. It should form a soft ball you can flatten.
- Take the pan right off the heat. Stir in the butter and the spices. Add the rum if you are using it. Stir hard and fast with a wooden spoon. Every seed must be coated in the syrup. Tip the mixture onto an oiled tray.
- Press it flat with an oiled spatula. Aim for about one and a half centimetres thick. Let it cool for about five minutes. It should be warm and still pliable. Cut it into squares with an oiled knife.
- Cut right through, since it will not shatter. Cooling it takes about an hour. Leave the pieces on the tray until cold. They firm up but should stay chewy. Wrap each piece in greaseproof paper. That wrapping stops them sticking together. Keep them in an airtight sealed tin. They keep for about two weeks.
Technique
- Sesame reached the Americas with enslaved West Africans, and the word benne travelled with it.
- The Bahamian version is chewy from molasses, while the Sierra Leonean one is a hard caramel brittle.
Substitutions
- Dark cane syrup or treacle can replace molasses.
- Groundnuts can be added alongside the sesame for a mixed sweet.
Variations
- Some makers roll it into balls rather than cutting squares.
- A version with coconut worked through is also sold.
- Sierra Leonean benne cakes are the brittle relative made with caramel.
History
Made from benne, the West African word for sesame, carried to the Bahamas by enslaved Africans and still sold at straw markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Benny cake?
Benny cake is a snack from Bahamas: chewy sesame and molasses candy sold in small squares. Made from benne, the West African word for sesame, carried to the Bahamas by enslaved Africans and still sold at straw markets.
How long does Benny cake take to make?
Benny cake takes 15 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 24 pieces. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Benny cake?
Yes, within limits. Dark cane syrup or treacle can replace molasses. Groundnuts can be added alongside the sesame for a mixed sweet.
What is the most important thing to get right in Benny cake?
Tip them out of the pan immediately. Spread them on a tray to cool. A warning about the syrup comes next. Keep children out of the kitchen. Never touch or taste the syrup in the pan. Put the brown sugar, molasses and water in a heavy pan. Add the pinch of salt to the pan.
