Koulouri Thessalonikis- The Greek Sesame Bagel
These round bread rings, covered in sesame seeds, are a staple street food enjoyed by both locals and visitors. They can be found at bakeries and street vendors all over Greece.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Stand Mixer with dough hook optional
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
Dough
- 16 g Dry active yeast (0.56 oz)
- 300 ml Water (10 fl.oz) , lukewarm
- 150 g Strong flour (5.3 oz) Bread flour
- 350 g All-purpose flour (12.3oz)
- 50 g Granulated sugar (1.8 oz)
- 10 g Salt (0.35 oz)
- Olive oil , to grease the bowl
To coat
- 500 ml Water (17 fl.oz)
- 2 Tbsp Granulated sugar
- 200 g Sesame seeds (7oz)
Instructions
The dough
- In a bowl, simply combine water and yeast. Allow the mixture to rest for 5-6 minutes until you notice the yeast becoming foamy.
- Add the remaining ingredients (strong flour ‘bread flour’, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt) to the mixing bowl of an Electric Stand Mixer with a dough hook* attached. Beat the ingredients on medium/high speed for 7-8 minutes. You’ll notice the dough pulling away from the bottom of the bowl, a sign that it’s ready for the next steps.
- If you don’t have a Electric Stand Mixer with dough hook, you can knead by hand. Knead the dough by hand for approximately 15 minutes until it becomes soft and elastic. Watch for the dough pulling away from the surface, indicating it’s ready.
- Generously grease the interior of a bowl with oil. Transfer the prepared dough to the greased bowl and cover it securely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest undisturbed for a period of 1 – 1 ½ hour, or until it doubles in size.
Shaping and Coating the Koulouri
- Preheat at the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Fill a bowl with water. Add the sugar to the water and stir until the sugar completely dissolves. In a separate bowl, place the sesame seeds, ready to be used for coating.
- Prepare a clean work surface .Take the dough and cut it into approximately 10 pieces.
- If the dough sticks too much to the work surface, lightly brush it with olive oil. Don't add more flour to the dough.
- Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball and cover them with a towel to prevent them from drying out while you prepare the remaining dough.
- Then, using your hands, knead each ball into a long roll. Join the ends of the roll together to form a circle, ensuring that all the rings are of similar size and shape.
- Take each koulouri and dip it into the bowl of water, ensuring it is fully coated.
- Then, immediately transfer the wet bagel to the bowl containing the sesame seeds, gently coating its surface evenly using a spoon.
- Place 4 Koulouria on baking pans lined with parchment paper. Bake them in a preheated oven for about 17-20 minutes until they turn golden in color. Keep an eye on them to prevent over-browning.
Notes
Koulouri Thessalonikis are best enjoyed on the same day, but you can also freeze them before baking for later use. After coating the Koulouri Thessalonikis with sesame seeds, place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and place the tray in the freezer. Once they are fully frozen, transfer them to a plastic freezing bag, ensuring to place parchment paper between each bagel for easy separation. When you’re ready to enjoy fresh Koulouri Thessalonikis, simply let them thaw at room temperature for about 1 hours, and then bake them in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 17-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can bake them in an air fryer at 180°C (356°F) for 10 minutes.
If you prefer, you can choose to use sunflower seeds or poppy seeds instead of sesame seeds to cover the Koulouri Thessalonikis- The Greek Sesame Bagel. This will give them a different taste and a distinct look.