Description
Koulouri Thessalonikis is a traditional Greek sesame bagel characterized by its circular shape and crunchy sesame seed coating. This recipe guides you through making the dough from scratch, shaping the bagels, dipping them in a sweet water solution, coating them with sesame seeds, and baking them to a golden perfection. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, these crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside bagels bring authentic Greek street food to your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 16 g Dry active yeast (0.56 oz)
- 300 ml Water, lukewarm (10 fl. oz)
- 150 g Strong flour (bread flour) (5.3 oz)
- 350 g All-purpose flour (12.3 oz)
- 50 g Granulated sugar (1.8 oz)
- 10 g Salt (0.35 oz)
- Olive oil (for greasing the bowl)
Dipping and Coating
- 500 ml Water (17 fl. oz)
- 2 Tbsp Granulated sugar
- 200 g Sesame seeds (7 oz)
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine lukewarm water and dry active yeast. Let it sit for 5-6 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Prepare the Dough: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine activated yeast mixture, strong bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Mix on medium-high speed for 7-8 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl. If mixing by hand, knead the dough for about 15 minutes until soft and elastic.
- First Proof: Generously grease a large bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours until it doubles in size.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to preheat at 200°C (392°F).
- Prepare Dipping Solution and Sesame Coating: In a bowl, dissolve granulated sugar in 500 ml of water. In a separate bowl, place the sesame seeds ready for coating.
- Portion the Dough: On a clean surface, cut the risen dough into about 10 equal pieces. Lightly brush the surface with olive oil if the dough sticks, avoiding extra flour.
- Shape the Dough: Shape each piece into a smooth ball and cover with a towel to prevent drying. Then, roll each ball into a long rope and press the ends together to form a circle of uniform size and shape.
- Dip Koulouria: Dip each ring-shaped dough piece fully into the sugar water, ensuring it is well coated.
- Coat with Sesame Seeds: Immediately transfer the wet ring into the sesame seeds bowl, coating thoroughly and evenly using a spoon to press seeds if necessary.
- Bake: Place up to 4 coated koulouria on parchment-lined baking trays. Bake them in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch carefully to avoid over-browning.
Notes
- You can knead the dough by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer; this takes about 15 minutes.
- Do not add additional flour when shaping the dough balls to retain softness.
- Lightly brushing the work surface with olive oil helps prevent sticking without altering the dough texture.
- Make sure the sugar water is fully dissolved before dipping to ensure even sweetness and proper coating adhesion.
- Bake in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding on the baking trays.
- Serve koulouria warm or at room temperature; they are perfect for breakfast or as a snack with cheese or dips.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Keywords: Koulouri Thessalonikis, Greek sesame bagel, Greek bread, sesame bagel recipe, traditional Greek snack, baked bread, street food
