Koulouri-Cypriot Bread

Koulouri-Cypriot Bread is a Greek bread. Here is the recipe:

Pinch of fennel Pinch of anise

3 ½ cups white flour 1 ½ teaspoons of salt

1 tablespoon yeast ¼ cup olive oil

1 ¼ cups of water ¼ cup sesame seeds

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

STEPS:

1) Grind the fennel and anise into a powder and set aside. 2) In a bread machine (or by hand) mix the flour, water, salt, olive oil, and yeast and fennel-anise powder together. 3) Set bread machines for dough stage. 4) After the dough raises punch it down and form it into a circular shape. 5) In a bowl moisten the sesame seeds and caraway seeds. 6) After this, totally cover the dough with the seeds. (See video on how to do this) 7) Place the dough in a warm place to rise for about 45-90 minutes. 8) Make two slits on the top of the dough and one around the circumference. 9) Heat the oven to 425⁰ F and bake on a baking sheet for 20 minutes until done.

View the video for more detail and the step by step process!

I have never made Greek type bread before. I thought this bread was very uncomplicated to make. So whether you’re a beginner or an expert you can make this bread. The bread smelled so good when it came out of the oven. I think it would be great for any meal. I tasted the bread with cream cheese on it and it was delicious (sort of like a bagel). I recommend trying the bread like that. Yummmmmmmmmmm!!!

When I was done baking the loaf of bread the seeds on top had gotten very brown. Next time I will lower the temperature to 400⁰F and bake only for 20 minutes. Do you think this will help? Another difficulty I have come across with my bread experiences is that I end up ruining the raising of the bread when I try to cut into the bread dough to make slits like in French bread or this type of bread. This is why I did not slice the bread dough for this recipe like you are supposed to. I didn’t want to ruin it. Any tips?