Clementine & Cinnamon Sesame Bark

Ok It's so hard to actually write with loud hip hop music blasting from the room next to mine.  I like my flatmates, all of them, I do.  But one has a particular liking for hip hop music, which I have just never been able to appreciate.  Well, I enjoy some hip hop.  Very limited, but I can't say I detest all hip hop.  I do not detest hip hop -- I detest techno, I detest songs about f**king hoes, and other songs written by people with lyrical writing skills of an elephant (first illiterate thing I can think of).  My dislike for general hip hop is not strong enough to be able to label the emotion as "detest".  I can appreciate hip hop in certain settings - in clubs, you know what, they've got good beats to dance to.  But I can't bear to listen to it in any other setting.  Especially not when home - when trying to sleep, when trying to read my textbook, when trying to write Happy Belly.  

I usually listen to music with headphones on, because the walls are thin and I'm worried that not all will enjoy my music (though I have excellent taste in music).  But.  Ok.  I will stop complaining.  Let's talk sesame. 

I feel like some form of sesame bark exists in most countries. And by most I mean I only know for certain that it exists in both Italy and China and thus I will generalize that to most countries.

These were for a friend that's leaving for a job down in London.  And I like the idea of edible gifts.  So, it's been fun, you'll be missed, and best of luck, Clare!

These took maybe 20 minutes in total to make. Maybe 15 minutes.  Yea, 15 minutes max.

Simple.  Infuse with flavors of your choice. 

Ingredients
zest of 1 clementine
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sesame seeds
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp brown sugar

Method
Take two pieces of greaseproof paper (at least the size of an A4 piece of paper) and put one on a flat surface, like on a baking tray, and reserve the other.

In a glass or metal bowl, mix the sesame seeds, cinnamon and zest.

Melt the honey and the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until it boils.  Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.  

Pour the mixture into the bowl with the sesame seeds and mix.  Do this quickly, after you've mixed it, quickly pour it over the grease proof paper, then place the other piece of paper on top and roll it out using a rolling pin.  Roll it to the thickness of about 0.5cm (about 1/4 inch) thick. 

Let cool and cut it into desired shapes.