Savory Benne Wafers
By Faye YangPublished on April 30, 2024
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour chilling
Yield
Serves 8 to 12 (Makes about 50 wafers)
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Benne seeds can be found in some specialty grocery stores or online (Anson Mills is a good source). Toast the benne seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent scorching, until deep golden brown, about 90 seconds. You can use sesame seeds instead of benne seeds, but it's important to toast them deeply (for 3 or 4 minutes) in order to achieve a rich flavor similar to that of benne seeds. If you don't have a 2¼-inch round cutter, you can make square wafers; roll each disk into an 11½-inch square, trim edges of each to form a 10-inch square, and then slice each square at 2-inch intervals, lengthwise and crosswise, to make twenty-five 2-inch squares. Serve with Lowcountry Shrimp Butter or your favorite spread.
Instructions
- Process flour, table salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Scatter butter over top and pulse until butter pieces are no larger than peas, about 10 pulses. Add ½ cup benne seeds and milk and pulse until dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains, 10 to 12 pulses.
- Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead briefly until it comes together. Divide dough in half. Form each half into 5-inch disk, wrap disks tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On lightly floured counter, roll each dough disk into 13-inch round of even 1/16-inch thickness. Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons benne seeds evenly over each dough round. Using rolling pin, gently press benne seeds into dough. Using 2¼-inch round cutter or shot glass, cut 17 to 20 smaller rounds from each large dough round. Gather remaining dough from both large rounds and roll into one 13-inch round of even 1/16-inch thickness. Cut 10 to 16 smaller rounds to yield 50 total (do not reroll scraps a second time). Arrange cut rounds in single layer on prepared sheets. Prick each round twice with fork and sprinkle evenly with flake salt.
- Bake rounds, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let wafers cool completely on sheet, about 20 minutes. Serve. (Wafers can be stored in airtight container for up to 5 days.)
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour chillingYield
Serves 8 to 12 (Makes about 50 wafers)Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional Lowcountry benne wafers are made with benne seeds; benne is an ancestor of the sesame plant we know today. We wanted a tender and flaky wafer packed with benne seed flavor that could stand up to thick spreads. Using a whole stick of butter prevented the wafers from becoming dry and imparted a rich and tender texture. We incorporated benne seeds both in the dough and on top of the wafers to add plenty of roasty flavor without impacting the structure. Chilling the dough for 1 hour before rolling created enough gluten in the dough for a strong cracker that remained tender and flaky. Want more? Read the full story.
Before You Begin
Benne seeds can be found in some specialty grocery stores or online (Anson Mills is a good source). Toast the benne seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent scorching, until deep golden brown, about 90 seconds. You can use sesame seeds instead of benne seeds, but it's important to toast them deeply (for 3 or 4 minutes) in order to achieve a rich flavor similar to that of benne seeds. If you don't have a 2¼-inch round cutter, you can make square wafers; roll each disk into an 11½-inch square, trim edges of each to form a 10-inch square, and then slice each square at 2-inch intervals, lengthwise and crosswise, to make twenty-five 2-inch squares. Serve with Lowcountry Shrimp Butter or your favorite spread.
Instructions
- Process flour, table salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Scatter butter over top and pulse until butter pieces are no larger than peas, about 10 pulses. Add ½ cup benne seeds and milk and pulse until dough forms large clumps and no dry flour remains, 10 to 12 pulses.
- Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead briefly until it comes together. Divide dough in half. Form each half into 5-inch disk, wrap disks tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On lightly floured counter, roll each dough disk into 13-inch round of even 1/16-inch thickness. Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons benne seeds evenly over each dough round. Using rolling pin, gently press benne seeds into dough. Using 2¼-inch round cutter or shot glass, cut 17 to 20 smaller rounds from each large dough round. Gather remaining dough from both large rounds and roll into one 13-inch round of even 1/16-inch thickness. Cut 10 to 16 smaller rounds to yield 50 total (do not reroll scraps a second time). Arrange cut rounds in single layer on prepared sheets. Prick each round twice with fork and sprinkle evenly with flake salt.
- Bake rounds, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let wafers cool completely on sheet, about 20 minutes. Serve. (Wafers can be stored in airtight container for up to 5 days.)
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