Greek sesame bread rings are definitely the most popular street food someone can find in Greece. A unique Greek snack that is crunchy on the outside, soft and lightly chewy on the inside and coated with sesame seeds. Discover how to make your own!
How to make the Greek Sesame Bread Rings (Koulouria)- Steps
Gather all the ingredients.
Make the dough.
Let the dough rest and double in size.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces.
Form the dough rings.
Dip in the dough rings in diluted honey and cover with sesame seeds.
Place on baking sheets and let them rest.
Bake and enjoy!
How to store
Store sesame bread rings at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze them in a ziplock bag for up to 4 months. Optionally, reheat in the oven until crispy.
Recipe
Servings: 8
Preparation time: 1 1/2 hr
Cooking time: 20 mins
Ingredients
450 gr. all purpose flour
1 tsp. honey
8 gr. dried yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
300 ml lukewarm water
For the coating
1/3 cup honey diluted in 300 ml lukewarm water
150 gr. sesame seeds
Method
In a mixer's bowl add lukewarm water, yeast, honey and stir. Cover with a towel or a plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes, until the yeast starts bubbling.
Into the same bowl add the flour, the salt and the olive oil. Using the dough hook, mix in low speed for about 10 minutes, until an elastic dough is formed. (the dough should be smooth, elastic and slightly sticky. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour, about half spoon at a time, mix and check for its texture.)
When done, coat lightly a bowl with some extra virgin olive oil. Place the dough inside and cover the bowl with a towel or a plastic wrap. Place in a warm place and let sit for approximately 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
When ready, place the dough into the mixer's bowl and knead at medium to high speed for approximately 4 minutes.
In the meantime preheat oven to 200C, set to fan and prepare the coating ingredients.
In a bowl pour some lukewarm water, add 1/3 cup honey and stir until honey is diluted. In a separate bowl or a tray add the sesame seeds. Set aside for when needed.
Now, remove the dough from the bowl and place on a clean working surface. Divide into 8 pieces. Take one piece at a time and roll out into a rope (approx. 70 cm long). Fold it in two and holding the two edges with your hands, turn the two cords to knit. Bind the two edges to a ring and repeat the same process with the remaining dough pieces. (A simple alternative is by rolling out a smaller rope, about 30-40 cm long, without folding it. Then bind the edges to a round bun/ring)
Dip each bread ring in the diluted honey and then in the bowl/tray with the sesame seeds. Make sure all sides are covered with sesame seeds.
Place bread rings on a baking tray (you will need two baking trays) lined with parchment paper, making sure, leaving some distance between them.
Let them rest and rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven at 200C for about 20 minutes or until beautifully golden and crusty. Enjoy!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to see pictures of your creation on social media. Hashtag them #sweetandsaltyfeelings and tag @sweetandsalty_feelings