Cut the chocolate cap when just set with a warmed, thoroughly dried knife so it does not splinter.
A pressed black-sesame meal shortbread slab with a thin ivory chocolate cap.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Black Sesame White Chocolate Shortbread Bars Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- food processor
- bowl
- 8-inch square metal pan
- parchment
- microwave-safe bowl
- offset spatula
- knife
- rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Mix the dough: Grind black sesame briefly with a spoonful of the measured sugar until coarse meal, stopping before it becomes paste. Stir butter and remaining sugar smooth; add sesame meal, flour and salt and press until cohesive.
Press the dough
- Press the dough: Line an 8-inch square metal pan with parchment. Press all dough evenly into the base and dock lightly; no chilling is required.
Bake the slab
- Bake the slab: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C) conventional or 300°F (150°C) fan. Bake one pan 30–35 minutes until the surface looks dry and the edges are firm; the dark sesame makes color an unreliable cue.
Cool and cap
- Cool and cap: Cool in the pan 45 minutes, including pan rest. Melt white chocolate in 20-second bursts, stirring often, and spread a thin even layer over the cold slab. Chill 20 minutes until just set, then lift and cut 16 squares with a warm dry knife. Cooling/setting totals 65 minutes; do not chill until rock hard before cutting.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: 25 min hands-on + 0 min required chill/rest + 35 min whole-batch oven baking + 65 min cooling/setting = 125 min. Cooling includes tray/pan rests and runs from the final tray; earlier-tray cooling may overlap later baking. Ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra; preheat during shaping/chilling. Scale ingredients and US equivalents, not oven temperature, piece sizes or per-tray bake time; extra trays extend the whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Ground sesame replaces wheat bulk and contributes fat; a separately applied solid chocolate cap sets without cream or refrigeration-dependent ganache.
Technique & texture
Cut the chocolate cap when just set with a warmed, thoroughly dried knife so it does not splinter.
Finishing & serving
Bring the cut squares to cool room temperature for a yielding chocolate layer and sandy sesame base.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 5 days | Up to 5 days. Seal fully cooled bars airtight in a cool dry room. Separate layers with parchment; let the coating set before packing. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for this formula; use only if the room is warm. Seal airtight to prevent condensation and odors. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze the unfilled dough tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then shape and complete the stated chill. Thawing time is additional. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze uncoated baked bars airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw sealed at room temperature for 1–2 hours. Apply the finish after thawing. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing. Do not oven-refresh the assembled or coated bars. Serve once thawed; reseal unused portions. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 16 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why grind the sesame instead of sprinkling it?
Ground sesame replaces wheat bulk and contributes fat; a separately applied solid chocolate cap sets without cream or refrigeration-dependent ganache.
How can I cut the white chocolate cleanly?
Cut the chocolate cap when just set with a warmed, thoroughly dried knife so it does not splinter.
What serving temperature works best?
Bring the cut squares to cool room temperature for a yielding chocolate layer and sandy sesame base.
