Ka'ak Al Quds

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour
• 7g instant yeast
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp milk powder
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 310ml warm water
• 150g white sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp date syrup or honey
• 150ml warm water, for the dipping wash
• Za'atar and olive oil, to serve

Before you cook

• Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and milk powder together in a large bowl
• Spread the sesame seeds in a wide shallow tray
• Stir the date syrup into the 150ml of warm water in a second wide shallow dish
• Line two baking trays with parchment

Steps

1. Pour the olive oil and the 310ml of warm water into the flour mixture.
2. Mix to a shaggy dough, then knead on an unfloured worktop for 10 minutes, until it is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it, and leave it somewhere warm for 1 hour, until doubled.
4. Knock the dough back and divide it into six equal pieces.
5. Roll each piece into a rope about 45cm long and 2cm thick.
6. Join the ends of each rope to make a ring, pinching the join hard so it cannot open in the oven.
7. Stretch each ring into a long oval, so it is about 25cm from end to end with a narrow slot down the middle.
8. Dip one oval into the date syrup water, turning it so both faces are wet, and let the excess run off.
9. Press both faces of the wet ring firmly into the sesame seeds until it is thickly coated.
10. Lay it on a lined tray and repeat with the remaining rings.
11. Cover the trays loosely and prove for 40 minutes, until the rings look puffed and feel airy.
12. Heat your oven to 220C.
13. Bake the ka'ak for 14 minutes, until the sesame is toasted golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped.
14. Cool the rings for 5 minutes, then tear them open and serve with za'atar mixed into a little olive oil.