Palestinian Sesame Crusted Bread Rings (ka’ak Bil Simsim)

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
• 1 egg (beaten with a few pinches of sugar)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375 f.
• 2 mix the warm water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a mixer and mix gently.
• 3 let sit for 10 minutes or until yeast foams doubles in size.
• 4 once the yeast is ready, add the vegetable oil and milk to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed.
• 5 sift the flour and the salt together then, slowly, add it one spoonful at a time, to the liquids, while the mixer is turned on low.
• 6 mix until all the flour is incorporated, then turn off the mixer immediately.
• 7 do not overwork the dough.
• 8 dust your hands with flour, and remove the dough from the mixing bowl.
• 9 the dough will be very sticky, but do your best to form it into a ball and move it to a clean, flour-lined bowl.
• 10 cover the dough-filled bowl with a towel and let sit in a warm spot for 30-40 minutes.
• 11 the dough will double in size.
• 12 punch it down and remove it from the bowl.
• 13 it’s consistency will have softened and it won’t be as sticky.
• 14 sprinkle flour on a working surface.
• 15 place the dough over the flour. knead the dough for 5 minutes.
• 16 roll out each piece into a long log and form into a ring.
• 17 brush the rings with egg wash on all sides and roll in sesame seeds.
• 18 place the ring a sheet pan.
• 19 put an oven-proof pot of boiling water in the oven, underneath the bread. cook for about 25 minutes, or until the bread turns a light brown color.
• 20 remove and place on a rack to cool.
• 21 option: you can skip the long detailed instructions from #2 to #15 if you make the dough in a bread machine.