Simit (Turkish Sesame Bread Rings)

These bread rings were amazing with the Turkish Breakfast, but I'd even keep them in the freezer for any time to have with olives and feta.  I modified the recipe from 3 different websites for the plaiting method, freezing method and ingredient quantities with most of the inspiration from Ozlem's Turkish Table.


550g Flour or more
1 10g Packet Instant Yeast
3 tbsp Salt
550 ml Luke Warm Water

200ml Warm Water
4 tbsp Blackstrap Molasses
150 - 200g White Sesame Seeds

- Mix the flour and salt in a big mixing bowl.  Ideally use an electric mixer as this was a very soft dough for me (unless I did something wrong, but taste wise when the product was baked it was divine, so I doubt I will change my recipe)

- Dissolve the yeast in a cup water and add to the flour.  Then get kneading until you end up with a smooth dough adding more water as you go along until the dough is the right consistency.

- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow to rest for about an hour.

- Knock down the dough and divide in 10 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long sausage of about 60 cm.  Twist the dough from the middle to form a "plaited rope" and pull the end through the loop to make a ring.

- Mix the warm water with the molasses.  Dip the rings into the
molasses water then dunk in the sesame seeds.

OPTION 1:

- Let the rings rest for about 20 minutes, then bake at 220 degrees Celcius for 15 - 18 minutes.

OPTION 2:

- Let the rings rest for 10 minutes, then freeze to bake later.

- When baking, place the frozen ring on a baking sheet and allow to thaw on the counter for about 2 hours, then bake as 220 degrees Celcius for 15 - 18 minutes.