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Dasik (Korean pressed tea cakes)
Patterned tea cakes of roasted soybean and black sesame bound with honey
Dasik are small pressed tea cakes stamped with patterns of flowers, characters for long life and good fortune, made across Korea for Chuseok, weddings and the tables set for ancestral rites. Powders of roasted grain, black sesame or yellow pine pollen are kneaded with honey and pressed into carved wooden moulds, so a single plate shows contrasting colours. They are dense and melt slowly, tasting of toasted nuts and honey, and they are always served with tea: green tea, or a tea of jujube or citron. This version makes two colours, roasted soybean and black sesame. They are naturally egg-free: honey binds the powders and lets them hold the fine pattern of the mould. Chef's tip: add the honey a teaspoon at a time; the common mistake is too much, which makes a sticky dough that blurs the pattern and won't leave the mould.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ oz black sesame seeds
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 2 ⅝ oz honeydivided
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oilfor the mould
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toast 2 ⅛ oz black sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium-low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes, until they pop and smell nutty.
3 minStep 2: Grind the warm sesame in a spice grinder in short bursts until it is fine and starts to clump and look oily.
Step 3: Mix 2 ⅛ oz roasted soybean powder (konggaru) with 1 pinch fine salt, then add 1 ⅓ oz honey a teaspoon at a time, kneading, until it forms a smooth dough that feels like firm play dough and does not stick to your hands.
Step 4: Knead the ground sesame with 1 ⅓ oz honey the same way, adding the honey gradually until it holds together.
2 minStep 5: Brush the inside of a dasik or small sweet mould very lightly with ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, or dust it with a little soybean powder.
Step 6: Roll 10 g balls of each dough, press each firmly into the mould, level the top and push or tap the cake out.
15 minStep 7: Leave for 10 minutes to firm. Arrange the two colours alternately on a plate. They keep 5 days in an airtight box.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 105 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dasik (Korean pressed tea cakes) take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of black sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
- What can I use instead of honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
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