Recipe: Family Circle Sesame Seed Bars with Honey Butter Frosting

FAMILY CIRCLE SESAME SEED BARS
WITH HONEY BUTTER FROSTING
Makes 18 bars

This not-too-sweet bar is good without embellishment, but the Honey-Butter Frosting is simple and subtly flavored.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

1. Toast sesame seeds in a medium size saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently until a light golden brown, about 10 minutes; remove from heat. Measure and reserve 1 tablespoon of the toasted sesame seeds for frosting. Add butter to seeds in saucepan and stir to melt. Cool slightly.

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto wax paper.

3. Beat sugar, eggs and vanilla into butter mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in flour mixture; beat until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into a greased 9x9x2 pan.

4. Bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 25 minuts or until top springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with Honey-Butter Frosting. Sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Cut into bars.

HONEY-BUTTER FROSTING:
Whip 2 tablespoons butter or margarine with 2 tablespoons honey in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of 10x (confectioners) sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and a pinch of salt.