Til ki chikki / Til patti / Sesame Brittle

Sesame brittle / Til ki chikki 

Sesame seed and melted sugar makes this most beautiful shiny tile like looking crunchy snack. The pieces are firm yet brittle when you snap it with your fingers, u can hear the crispness when it breaks. I am sure all Indians who grew up in the 80s -90s and before would have tried this at least once. A snack cleverly made to get all the required calcium of course sweet coated. I don't see these in bakeries getting VIP seats in glass cases or jars anymore those seats are all swamped by the sickening frosted cakes and no purpose flour cookies.

So here is some old fashioned snack and reviving old world charm.

Maharashtra,India esp Lonavala is famous for brittle/chikkis of many types ranging from peanuts to expensive dryfruit varieties. 

Sesame brittle is made with  jaggery instead of sugar for Sankranthi (Hindu festival)which makes it even more healthier.An ideal snack for the winter to take along with u or it makes a perfect homemade gift for the Holidays. Can be crushed and used instead of praline too.

See the different stages of sugar melting in the pics above.Sesame seed is added when sugar has melted completely.

Ingredients:
Til/ White sesame seeds- 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee /Unsalted butter- 3 tsp
Cardamom powder- 2-3 pods(seeds powdered)

Method:
1.Dry roast the sesame seeds in an empty heavy bottom pan until the raw smell goes and sesame seeds change to one shade darker It will become crisp when u bite.Keep aside
2.Stick cello tape  to a thick sheet of aluminium foil to ur work surface like cutting board or to the heat resistant kitchen counter directly (so it does not move while rolling). Smear ghee / butter on the foil and grease it well. Apply the leaf over on the rolling pin and keep this ready first.

3.Heat the same pan add ghee when it begins to melt add the sugar keep stirring constantly until completely melted without any crystals remaining in it. The melting may take few minutes so be patient and do in slow flame only :)

From this point u need to act fast :Once the last sugar crystal has melted completely switch off flame and immediately add the dry roasted sesame seed and cardamom powder. Stir fast until everything is mixed.Dump this on to the prepared tray and spread evenly with the greased rolling pin. Make  neat edges by pushing and leveling sides with the rolling pin itself. Then mark it deeply into required shape. Need not separate pieces but the deep impression helps in breaking into neat pieces when it cools completely.
When the chikki/ brittle has completely cooled down snap it on the marked lines. Put in airtight container.
You can make squares,diamond shapes or long barks if u like.

Chikki can last upto 2 months in room temperature if properly made.

Note:
Do not dry roast the sesame seeds for too long it will taste bitter.It will burn easily too so keep an eye and stirring constantly
The sugar syrup also becomes bitter if heated for too long after melting completely
Please be careful while handling sugar. Melting sugar is extremely hot and and can cause serious burns.
Constant stirring is very important to avoid sugar burning at the bottom of pan.
Do not touch the sugar syrup or chikki anytime when hot as it will burn ur fingers.

Hope you will give it a try.

Meena

Sending it to Nupur's blog event .