Turkish Simit Recipe
Savor the authentic taste of Turkish Simit, a popular street snack known for its crispy sesame crust and soft, chewy interior. This recipe guides you through preparing the dough, shaping the iconic twisted rings, dipping them in a sweet grape molasses wash, coating with toasted sesame seeds, and baking to golden perfection. Perfect for breakfast or tea time, these rings offer a delightful balance of sweetness and nuttiness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
- Yield: 8 simit rings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups toasted sesame seeds
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup warm water (plus 1–2 tbsp more if needed)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup grape molasses
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift the flour and add sugar, yeast, and salt. Make a small well in the center and add warm water and vegetable oil. Mix using a dough hook until the dough comes together. Adjust consistency by adding water if too dry or flour if too wet.
- Knead the dough: Continue kneading with the dough hook for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, cleaning the sides of the bowl.
- First rise: Cover the dough with a linen towel and let it rise for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- Prepare topping coatings: Place toasted sesame seeds in a large shallow dish. In a separate bowl, whisk together the grape molasses and water to create the dipping wash.
- Shape the simit rings: Punch down the risen dough and divide into 16 pieces. Roll two pieces at a time into long 20-inch tubes by stretching and rolling the dough carefully. Lay tubes side by side, pinch ends together, twist them in opposite directions to form a spiral, then pinch ends again to create a ring. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough to make 8 rings total.
- Coat the rings: Dip each ring into the molasses-water mixture, ensuring full coverage, then roll thoroughly in sesame seeds to coat completely. Place coated rings on baking sheets.
- Second rise: Loosely cover the rings with a linen towel and let rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Bake: Bake the simit for 14 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on the outside.
- Cool and serve: Allow to cool slightly before eating for best texture, or cool completely and store in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Grape molasses is a traditional ingredient that imparts a sweet, slightly tangy flavor; if unavailable, pomegranate molasses or a light honey-water mixture can be used as substitutes.
- Toasting sesame seeds enhances their nuttiness and aroma, essential for the signature simit coating.
Keywords: Turkish Simit, sesame bread rings, Turkish street food, bread ring recipe, grape molasses bread
Find it online: https://tastybella.com/turkish-simit-recipe/
