1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup tahini
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped sesame honey cashews or dry-roasted unsalted cashews
5 1/2 ounce best-quality white chocolate broken into bits or chips
3 tablespoon sesame seeds
coarse salt, for garnish
Directions
Step 1: Heat oven to 350F. Line a 13-by-9 inch baking pan with foil. Spray lightly with nonstick spray or brush lightly with oil.
Step 2: Mix 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
Step 3: Beat 2 sticks of room-temperature butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 ⅓ cups brown sugar and ⅓ cups tahini until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla, then beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, until smooth.
Step 4: With the mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until incorporated. Use a spoon to stir in 1 cup chopped nuts and 5 ½ ounces white chocolate.
Step 5: Transfer batter to prepared pan, then use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sesame seeds and a few generous pinches of coarse salt.
Step 6: Bake until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the top is golden, 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Use foil to lift the bars from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Cut into small bars. Store in a covered container for several days.