Korean toasts with sesame paste and honey Recipe
Crispy toasts with thick sesame paste and honey are a simple Korean breakfast dessert that’s a bit like a cross between halva and French toast. In Korea, sesame and honey often appear in traditional sweets, and here they land on a slice of bread. It’s a great idea for a lazy weekend morning or a sweet snack with tea.
This recipe turns simple toast into a Korean-inspired treat that combines the nutty richness of sesame with the floral sweetness of honey. The texture is somewhere between halva and a custardy French toast topping, but requires only a few pantry ingredients and minutes of work.
Chef's tips
Watch the sesame seeds closely while toasting – they can go from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds. Adjust the thickness of the paste with a little more or less milk: it should be spreadable but not runny, so it doesn’t drip off the bread while baking.
How to serve
Serve the toasts warm, cut into triangles, as part of a brunch spread with fresh fruit and yogurt. They also work well as an afternoon snack alongside green tea, roasted barley tea, or a latte.
Ingredients
- toast bread - 4 slice
- sesame seeds - 40 g
- honey - 35 g
- butter - 20 g
- milk - 20 ml
- salt - 1 pinch
- sugar - 5 g
Preparation
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the seeds turn lightly golden and become very fragrant. Be careful not to burn them, or they will turn bitter.
- Transfer the hot sesame seeds to a small bowl and immediately add the soft butter, honey, sugar, a pinch of salt, and the milk. Stir with a spoon until the butter melts and everything comes together into a thick, slightly pourable paste. If you’re using tahini, you can skip toasting the sesame seeds and reduce the amount of milk.
- If you want a smoother texture, briefly blend the paste with an immersion blender or in a small food processor. If you prefer noticeable sesame seeds, leave it as is.
- Place the slices of toast bread in a dry pan or on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 190°C. Toast for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden and crisp on one side.
- Flip the slices and spoon a thick layer of the sesame–honey paste onto the already toasted side, spreading it evenly right to the edges.
- Toast the bread for another 3–4 minutes in the pan with a lid on, or in the oven, until the paste foams slightly and starts to bubble gently, and the edges of the bread are very crisp.
- Remove the toasts and let them sit for 1–2 minutes so the paste can firm up a little and cool down. Cut each slice diagonally and serve while still warm.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like to leave some sesame seeds whole for extra crunch and a more rustic feel. If you enjoy very sweet desserts, drizzle a little extra honey on the toasts right before serving.
