Pashmak

Instructions

1. Put 80 g of plain flour in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat with 2 tsp of the sesame oil. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 8-10 minutes, until the flour is loose and sandy, smells nutty and has turned the colour of pale biscuit. Do not let it brown. Tip it into a wide, shallow bowl and set it somewhere warm - cold flour will chill the toffee and snap the threads.
2. Brush a metal tray or marble slab with 1 tsp of sesame oil and rub a little over your palms and a metal scraper. Have the rosewater measured out beside the hob: once the syrup is at temperature there is no time to fetch anything.
3. In a small heavy saucepan combine 150 g of caster sugar, 60 ml of water and 1 tsp of lemon juice. Stir once over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, brush any crystals off the sides with a wet pastry brush, then bring to the boil and stop stirring. Boil for 10-12 minutes until a sugar thermometer reads 150C, or a drop in cold water sets instantly to a brittle thread.