Sesametwistbread Recipes

SEMOLINA SESAME ARTISAN BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the yeast and salt with the lukewarm water in a large 5qt container. I use a large plastic tub with a lid, but I do NOT seal the lid to make it airtight.
• Mix in the flours using a large spoon. (I use a large wooden spoon. By the end of adding all the flour, I wet my hands to mix in the last bits of the flour into the dough. The dough is a fairly wet, sticky dough. You can certainly use a mixer if you'd like to, but I don't find that I need one.)
• Cover (not airtight...this needs to off gas a bit...but then...don't all God's creatures need to do that? Yeast is no exception.). Allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top) approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used at this point, or you can store it in your fridge for up to 14 days. As if you could wait that long!!!
• When You're Ready to Bake
• If you're going to bake one 2 lb. loaf, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off about half of it. (About 2 lbs.) Return the other half of the dough, to the plastic container and store it in your refrigerator till you're ready to use it. Dust the dough you'll be baking with more flour and quickly shape it first into a ball, and then into an oval (ish) shape. Allow to rest for 40 minutes on a sheet of parchment paper that you have sprinkled with cornmeal. (If you HAVE a pizza peel, then use that to let it rest on, and to help you transfer it into the oven. I don't have a pizza peel, so I use parchment paper as my sling for transferring the bread dough loaf to the oven onto my baking stone. It can stay on the parchment paper for the baking: no problem. No need to transfer it off directly onto the stone.)
• Twenty Minutes Before Baking
• Preheat the oven to 450º, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack, and the bottom of a broiler pan on the shelf just below that.
• Time to use that mysterious cornstarch that's in the ingredient list.
• You're going to make a Cornstarch Wash to make the bread shiny, and help the sesame seeds to stick to the outside of the bread.
• Cornstarch Wash
• Blend the 1/2 t. of cornstarch with a bit of water to form a paste. Add 1/2 c. of water, and whisk with a fork. Microwave for 60 seconds, till mixture appears glassy. You can store the unused portion in the fridge, covered with plastic, for the next loaf.
• Just before baking, paint the surface of the loaf with the cornstarch wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and slash the surface of the bread (I usually make 3 diagonal slash marks) about 1/2″ deep, using a serrated knife.
• Gently place the loaf and the parchment paper onto the hot baking stone, using the parchment paper as a sling to carry the loaf to the baking stone. Pour 1 c. of hot tap water onto the broiler tray below it, and quickly close the oven door. Bake for around 30 minutes, until deeply browned and firm. Adjust baking time to the size of your loaf, and your own oven's performance.
• Allow to cool before slicing and eating.

SICILIAN SESAME SEED BREAD

Steps:

• In a large glass measuring cup, dissolve the sugar and yeast in 2 cups of the warm water. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
• Add 2 cups of flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast mixture and mix until a dough starts to form. Add 2 more cups of flour and let mix until a smooth ball of dough is formed. It too wet, add 1 -2 tablespoons more flour. Do not let the dough get to dry. It should be slightly sticky. Let knead for about 5-10 minutes in total.
• Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise until doubled about 2 hours. (I usually place in my oven with the light on).
• On a floured board, punch down the dough, divide it in half and shape two thick loaves or four baguettes.
• Transfer loaves a floured baker's couche or large cotton dish towel. Cover the loaves and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours until doubled again in size.
• Preheat the oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Place a cast iron skillet on the bottom rack and let heat as well.
• When ready to bake, mix the egg and water to make a wash. Brush the egg wash over the loaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Place the loaves on baking sheet or a french loaf baking pans.
• Put the baking pan on the middle rack.
• Add 10 ice cubes to the cast iron pan. This will create the steam for a great crust. Add 4-6 more cubes halfway through for more steam.
• Cook for 35 minutes until the bread is a nice golden brown.
• Let the bread cool before slicing.

SESAME TWISTS

Steps:

• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk together butter, 1 egg, and sour cream in another bowl, then add to flour mixture and stir with a fork until a dough just begins to form (dough will be very moist).
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. Pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, and form into a 12-inch-long log.
• Cut dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch-long rope using well-floured hands, then fold rope loosely in half and twist it once, holding both ends of twist.
• Arrange twists 2 inches apart on 2 ungreased large baking sheets, pressing ends against baking sheet to prevent unraveling.
• Brush tops of twists with remaining egg and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer twists to metal racks and cool completely.