Cookbook:Ka'ak (Savory Ring-Shaped Biscuit)

Ka'ak (Arabic: كعك), is a biscuit traditionally baked while clinging to the wall of a clay oven, or on the floor of a masonry oven. The dough is enriched with oil, sugar, black cumin, and yeast, and flavored with condiments, such as honey or sugar, and it is basted with egg yolks (as desired). It is eaten extensively throughout the Middle East and Persia.

Ingredients

 * ½ cup lukewarm water
 * ½ cup vegetable oil (preferably canola oil)
 * 100 g soft margarine or butter
 * 3 cups wheat flour
 * 1 tbsp baking powder or dried yeast
 * 1 tsp light brown sugar
 * 2 tsp salt
 * 2 tbsp sesame seeds
 * 1 tsp black cumin (Nigella sativa) (optional)
 * 10 g dried marjoram, za'atar or oregano (optional)
 * ¾ tsp ground Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb) kernels (optional)
 * 2 egg yolks (for basting), beaten

Procedure

 * 1) Combine water, oil and soft margarine (or butter) in bowl.
 * 2) Mix together flour, baking powder (or dried yeast), brown sugar, salt, and spices.
 * 3) Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients (except egg yolks) until you get a dough.
 * 4) Let dough mixture rest for 30 minutes until it reaches its proper consistency.
 * 5) Cut dough into half. Roll each half into a coil with your hands. You should now have 2 pieces.
 * 6) Cut each coil in half, and again roll out each coil into a smaller coil with one's hands. You should now have 4 pieces.
 * 7) Cut each coil in half, and again roll out each coil into a smaller coil with one's hands. You should now have 8 pieces.
 * 8) Cut each coil at angles into 4 equal pieces. You should now have 32 pieces
 * 9) Pinch together the ends of each coil so that it forms a ring. Place on a baking sheet, and let sit until the dough rises.
 * 10) Brush each dough ring with egg yolk.
 * 11) Bake in a preheated oven at a low heat (212–338°F / 100–170°C) until they begin to emit vapors. Then, remove from the oven.