Adapted from Frances Moore Lappe’s Diet for a Small Planet, these dreamy dessert bars are something I’ve been making for over 40 years now, loving how the honey and brown sugar work in harmony with the nutty sesame seeds. (Lappe uses margarine instead of butter and ¼ cup of soy flour to replace the equivalent amount of whole-wheat flour to up the protein. She also says to grind the sesame seeds lightly, but I find it works as well and is less bother to just use them whole. I also often make this with no coconut and extra sesame seeds.)
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup honey (dark is yummy)
- 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
Topping
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup sesame seeds (may grind slightly, if you wish)
Instructions
- Butter or oil a 9- by 13-inch pan. Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream together butter and honey until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and blend well. Spread evenly in pan and bake for 20 minutes, until firm and just turning color. Remove from oven, leaving oven on, and allow cookie base to cool while you prepare the topping.
- Beat eggs until light, then add sugar and honey and mix well. Mix flour and baking powder together and add to egg mixture along with coconut and sesame seeds. Use a spatula to spread evenly over the top of the cookie base. Return to 350° oven and bake for 20 additional minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.
Makes 18 to 20 bars.
