Sesame Rolls

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 100 ml sunflower oil (can be mixed with sesame oil)
• 200 ml lukewarm water
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 packet (7 g) instant yeast
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups wheat flour
• 1 cup sesame flour

For the filling:

• 1.5 cups sesame paste or tahini
• 1.5 cups sugar

For the topping:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 large handful sesame seeds

Instructions:

(1 cup = 250 ml)

Mix the water, sugar, and yeast, and let it sit for a few minutes. Meanwhile, pour the remaining dough ingredients into a mixing bowl. Once the yeast has activated, add it to the flour mixture along with the water, and knead until you get a smooth, cohesive dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes.

While the dough is rising, mix the sesame paste (or tahini) with the sugar and set aside. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden brown.

Knead the dough again briefly, then divide into 4 large or 8 smaller balls, depending on the size of rolls you want. Work with one ball at a time, keeping the others covered to prevent drying out. Grease your work surface with 2–3 tablespoons of oil to help roll the dough out as thinly as possible. Use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a rectangle and roll it out as thin as you can.

For larger rolls, spread about 2 heaping tablespoons of the sesame-sugar mixture evenly over the dough. Starting from the longer edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Gently roll the log back and forth to stretch and thin it further, aiming for finger-width thickness. Then twist the log slightly and coil it into a spiral shape (like a snail shell), being careful not to tear the dough.

Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough. Press each roll gently with your palm to flatten slightly—this prevents the center from puffing up too much during baking. Let rest for another 10 minutes.

Brush the tops with egg yolk and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Optionally, you can add finely chopped walnuts or almonds on top.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (top and bottom heat) for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Thanks to Ági from Nar Gourmet for the recipe!