Turkish Simit
A favourite Turkish street snack, perfect for breakfast or brunch, easy to whip up for a weekend treat
Ingredients
For the Simit
- 500 grams bread flour About 4 cups spooned and leveled
- 300 ml warm water 40 – 43C° (104-110 F°) 1 ¼ cup
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1½ tsp salt
Topping
- 100 ml grape or pomegranate molasses ½ cup
- 50 ml water ¼ cup
- 250-300 grams sesame seeds (toasted) 1½ cups
Instructions
FOR THE DOUGH:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix warm water (should be warm to the touch but not hot 40 – 43C° (104-110 F°) with yeast. Let it sit to proof for 10 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture, Then using the dough hook start mixing the dough until the flour is properly hydrated. Keep kneading the dough at medium speed for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulling away from the side of the bowl.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it proof in a warm area in your kitchen for 30 minutes.
FOR SHAPING AND BAKING:
- Preheat the oven to 250° C (480° F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the molasses and water in a shallow flat bowl.
- Prepare another shallow plate with the toasted sesame seeds. If you have raw sesame seeds you can toast them in a dry pan over medium heat while frequently stirring until golden brown and toasted.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. As you work cover the rest of the bowl with a damp towel to keep the dough from drying out.
- Take the first two pieces of dough, and start rolling them one by one into two long thin strands around 58cm long. Keep a bowl with some cool water near your workspace. If it is difficult to roll the strands out very lightly add some water to your hands it will help you roll the strands out. This dough does not need any addition of flour to the workspace, Again if the dough is tough and resisting being rolled out, set that piece aside and cover it with a damp towel and move on to the next one. This will allow the gluten to relax and when you come back to it, it will be much easier to roll out.
- When you are done rolling out the two strands. Pinch the ends from one end together and roll the strands in opposite directions until intertwined together (refer to images in the blog post). Squeeze the two ends together to form the ring. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Depending on how big your baking sheet is you might need to bake these in batches of 3 at a time.
- When you have 3 rings ready start dipping them on both sides first into the molasses mixture then the toasted sesame seeds making sure you cover all sides with sesame seeds.
- Place the simit onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake each batch for 12-15 minutes until golden. Keep watching and control the temperature, if the simits over-colores pre-maturely turn down the temperature a bit to prevent from burning. As the first batch is baking start working on your second batch.
- BEST SERVED WARM! With cheese, butter, jams, and morning eggs. Enjoy! These are best eaten fresh.
- STORING: These are best eaten fresh right after baking. For leftovers place the Simit in plastic ziplock bags and remove as much air as you can from the bag. Reheat in the oven to crisp up again. As this bread has no preservatives it is best eaten within 1-2 days.