Jerusalem Bagel Recipe
Jerusalem bagel, called Ka'ak Al Quds, are soft and airy oval-shaped bagels with a slight sweetness, thanks to the honeyed sesame topping! These are easy to make and take only a few familiar ingredients. Best enjoyed warm for a quick snack or the perfect breakfast with a little Labneh or even some saucy shakshuka.
Servings: 6 bagels
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional)
- Large bowl
- Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cup all-purpose flour or white bread flour
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups whole milk (or unsweetened almond milk for vegan option) warm
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast fast-action
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Olive oil
For the sesame coating
- 1 cup sesame seeds I used raw white sesame seeds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Mix and knead the dough. Put the flour, sugar, salt, milk, yeast, and baking powder in the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the dough hook (do not add the olive oil yet). Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together forming a soft and pliable ball. If you do not have a mixer, mix the dough ingredients in a large bowl and knead by hand (you can knead on a clean surface if that is easier for you) until the dough is smooth and pliable (it will take a bit longer this way, but will work). You are looking for a soft, elastic but robust dough.
- Allow the dough to rise. Rub the dough with a little bit olive oil and place it in a large bowl. Cove with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm spot for 1 hour; the dough should rise and double in size.
- Work on the sesame coating. In a large shallow baking dish, combine the sesame seeds and honey with 1 tablespoon of water. Mix, adding a bit more water as necessary, until you have a wet mixture that is neither too sticky and thick that it clumps up, nor too thin (you’ll need to be able to coat the dough in the sesame seeds and have them stick).
- Divide the dough and make 6 equal pieces. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 6 portions that are equal in size. Place them on a lightly floured work surface. Roll and stretch each piece into a log (about 8-12 inches long), then attach the ends together to form a ring (you should end up with 6 rings). Gently stretch out the rings to form ovals rather than circles. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees F (gas mark 8).
- Coat the rings or bagels with the sesame coating. Take each dough ring and dip it in the sesame mixture. Set it on a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rings. Allow the rings to rest on the baking sheet one more time for 10 minutes.
- Bake. Place the baking sheet (or sheets) in the heated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bagels cook through and turn a deep golden color.
Notes
- The sesame seed and honey mixture is likely more than you'll use here. If you want, you can start with 1/2 cup of sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon of honey.
- You can freeze baked Jerusalem bagels for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven (from frozen) before serving.
- Vegan option: Sandy, a vegan reader, shared that she used unsweetened almond milk in place of milk for a vegan option. And if you don't eat honey, you can use a vegan equivalent as well.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices.
- Recipe adapted from The Palestinian Table (affiliate link)
Nutrition
Calories: 396.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 78.9g | Protein: 11.9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Potassium: 187.2mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Vitamin A: 98.8IU | Calcium: 122.2mg | Iron: 4.4mg
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