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Baharat-spiced bread
Makes 1 loaf Cakes, Bread and Pastries
Ingredients
- 15g fresh yeast or 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
- 1⁄2tsp caster sugar
- 450g strong bread flour
- 1tsp fine salt
- 1tsp olive oil
- 1tbsp baharat spice mix (see recipe, below)
- 3tbsp mixed white and black sesame seeds
Baharat spice mix
- 30g allspice berries
- 30g cloves
- 15g mahlep (dried cherry seeds)
- 1 x 10g piece nutmeg
- 1 x 5g piece of mastic (resin from the mastic tree)
Method
If using fresh yeast, dissolve it in about 150ml lukewarm water with the sugar. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the frothy yeast mixture along with the olive oil and baharat spice mix.
If using dried yeast, mix it with the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil, baharat spice mix and 150ml lukewarm water.
Using your hands, begin to incorporate the flour into the liquid. Slowly add more lukewarm water a little at a time, mixing with your hands to form a dough. (You’ll probably need around another 150ml but don’t add it all at once; you’ll only need extra if it feels dry). Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover it with a clean, damp tea towel. Place somewhere slightly warm to speed up the rising process; the dough should double in size within 45-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 240C/ 475F/Gas 9. Punch the dough down in the bowl then tip it on to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for around 30 seconds. Roll it into a cylinder about 8cm in diameter. Cut it into 3 equal pieces, then push them together lightly. Place the sesame seeds on a large plate. Brush the dough all over with a little water and press it lightly into the sesame seeds, turning so it is covered on all sides. Place on a lightly floured nonstick baking tray and set aside to prove. It should double in size within about 45 minutes.
Half-fill a glass with cold water.
Put the dough in the oven and
tip the water directly on to
the bottom of your oven and
immediately close the door. Bake
for 20 minutes, then lower the
heat to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and
continue to bake for a further
10-20 minutes or until golden
brown. To check if it is cooked,
tap on the bottom and listen for a
hollow sound. If it doesn’t sound
hollow, return it to the oven for a
little longer. Remove and leave to
cool before cutting it.
Baharat spice mix
Blend all the spices in a grinder until fine. If you don’t have a spice grinder, buy what you can find in ground form and grind what you can’t using a pestle and mortar. This will keep for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container.
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