Anise and sesame kaak with tea
Anise and sesame kaak is one of the oldest tea pastries in the Levant, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula: anise-scented rings baked dry and crisp so they keep in their tins for weeks, served with morning and afternoon hospitality, with recipes passed down through households.
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, ground anise and anise seeds, and half the sesame, then add the oil and rub it into the flour. Add the warm milk and knead for eight minutes until you have a smooth, cohesive dough that smells of anise. Cover it for one hour until it rises.
Divide the dough into small balls, roll each ball into a rope the thickness of a finger and the length of your palm, then join it into a ring and press the seam firmly. The ring shape is the familiar form of this kaak in the bakeries of the Levant and Jerusalem from long ago.
Line the rings on a parchment-lined tray, brush them with the egg-and-milk mixture, scatter the remaining sesame over their tops and press it gently to set it.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for twenty to twenty-five minutes until browned and dry. Tea kaak is deliberately baked drier than bread, and its crisp dryness is what makes it suitable for dipping and for keeping in its tin for two weeks.
Let it cool on a rack until fully crisp, then store it in an airtight tin. Serve it with tea and dip it in, an old custom in Arab homes morning and afternoon.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Anise and Sesame Kaak with Tea, and how to fix them:
It was underbaked, and this kaak needs to be dry. Five extra minutes at a gentler heat will dry it without burning, and let it cool completely before the tin.
That is its nature; it is baked to be dipped in tea so it softens with every dip. For anyone who wants it tender without dipping, add two extra spoonfuls of oil to the dough.
The seam was pressed in a hurry. Wet the two ends of the rope with a drop of water and press the seam firmly, or place the seam down on the tray.
The anise is old, from a package opened months ago. Use freshly ground anise at kneading time, and in the airtight tin its aroma lasts as long as the kaak itself keeps.
Two weeks crisp at room temperature, and this is its main advantage: a hospitality pastry always ready.
Baked, for two months, reheated in a gentle oven for five minutes to bring back its crispness.
The fridge's humidity softens its crispness, and the airtight tin is its proper place.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anise | Ground fennel or mahlab | same amount | Familiar aromatic substitutes in Arab kaak |
| Sugar | Half of it | 30 g | A nearly plain kaak that suits cheese alongside |
| Olive oil | Local ghee | 1:1 | Deeper flavor and richer crispness |
| Half the flour | Whole-wheat flour | 1:1 for the half | A browner kaak with higher fiber |
| Ingredient | ~20 rings | ~10 rings | ~40 rings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 200 g | 800 g |
| Oil | 80 ml | 40 ml | 160 ml |
| Sesame | 25 g | 13 g | 50 g |
Use anise both ground and whole: the ground spreads its flavor through the whole dough, and the seeds give a clear burst of flavor when chewed. Relying on just one gives half the flavor.
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