Koulouri Daktylia - Cypriot Seeded and Spiced Loaf
INGREDIENTS
500g strong bread flour
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons (7g) dried yeast
1/8 teaspoon ground fennel
1/8 teaspoon ground aniseed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered mastic
1/2 teaspoon powdered mahlapi
200ml tepid milk
125ml tepid water
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon aniseed
METHOD
Start by adding the sugar and yeast to the milk and let it activate. Meanwhile, sift the flour into a large bowl and create a well in the centre. Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and rub with your hands to create a breadcrumb-like texture; this part is called “ρυζιάζετε” (rizazete), which means to rub, a common technique in traditional bread-making, where gluten development is encouraged for a chewy and elastic texture.
Next, add the salt, ground fennel, aniseed, mastic, mahlapi and mix.
Pour the milk and yeast mixture, combine with your fingers or a spoon and gradually pour in the water as you may not need to use all of it, or you may need more depending on your flour.. Continue adding water and combine until you’ve picked up all of the flour from the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the dough onto a surface, if your dough is sticky, dust it with a little flour and knead well for around 15 minutes until you’ve formed a soft, smooth and elasticated dough.
Rub about half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil around your dough and sit in the same bowl you used. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean tea towel and let it rest and proof in a warm area for at least an hour until it’s doubled.
After your first proof, knock the air out, remove the dough from the bowl onto a surface and shape it into a long loaf by folding the dough over itself lengthways into a sausage, pressing the two sides together well in a tight seam against the benchtop. Roll very lightly under your palms to seal and make the ends a little pointy. Your load should be about 12 inches.
Brush your dough with milk, roll it in the tray and cover with seeds. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper. With a dough cutter or knife, cut your loaf into 6-7 parts, leaving around 4-5cm apart. Gently push or tuck the dough so it’s neat and aligned on your tray.
Cover your loaf with a clean tea towel and let it proof for another 30-40 minutes. After 15 minutes have passed, add a deep oven-proof dish at the bottom of the oven and preheat your oven to 210C, fan-forced.
Before you add your loaf into the oven, pour a quarter cup of water into the oven-proof dish to create some gentle steam, this will help the bread to rise during baking. Bake for 30-35 minutes until gorgeously tanned and aromatic. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing or tearing into (I know, sorry.) By letting the baked loaf rest, you’re allowing it to emit steam at its natural pace, giving you a less dense loaf.
