How to make it
8 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Whisk together warm water, sugar, and yeast
In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
10 minCombine the flour and salt
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Create a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
Knead the dough by hand
Knead the dough by hand for about 8-10 minutes (or 5 minutes in a stand mixer) until it is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
1 hrPreheat your oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare the coating
Prepare the coating: In a wide, shallow dish, mix the honey (or molasses) with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Put the sesame seeds in another wide, shallow dish.
Punch down the dough
Punch down the dough and divide it into 6 equal portions. Roll each piece into a long rope, then join the ends to form a ring or an elongated oval.
Dip each dough ring
Dip each dough ring into the honey-water mixture, then immediately press it into the sesame seeds until well-coated on both sides. Place on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes at 400°F (204°C) until the bread is golden brown and the sesame seeds are aromatic. Serve warm.
15 min
A little kitchen wisdom
To get the iconic 'Jerusalem Ka'ak' shape, stretch the dough into long ovals or rings with a handle. Using grape molasses instead of honey in the water bath gives a more authentic, deep color.
