Krachel are delicious Moroccan sweet rolls flavored with sesame and anise seeds. Their smell takes me back to my childhood days, when my grandmother used to take a freshly baked Krichla right out of the oven, cut it in half, put some butter in it, and call my name to let me know they were ready! The first bite was just heavenly. These sweet rolls are the perfect snack for an afternoon tea!
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
Dough Ingredients:
30 grams (1 oz.) sesame seeds
1 tablespoon anise seeds
500 grams (4 cups) all-purpose white flour
120 grams (1/2 cup 2 tablespoons) granulated white sugar
100 millilitres vegetable oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
200 millilitres lukewarm milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Other Ingredients:
1 egg
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
Step1: Prepare Ingredients
1- On a flat pan over medium heat, roast the sesame seeds for around 3 minutes while stirring constantly then place in a bowl for later use.
2- Still on medium heat, roast the anise seeds on the pan for around 3 minutes while stirring constantly. Then place in a bowl for later use.
Step 2: Make the Dough
3- In large bowl, combine all the ingredients: flour, sugar, roasted sesame seeds, roasted anise seeds, vegetable oil, baking powder, dry yeast, orange blossom water, milk, and salt. Then add 2 eggs.
4- Gently mix all the ingredients by hand until you get a sticky dough.
5- Sprinkle a little bit of flour on your workstation. Transfer the dough and knead it with the palm of your hands. You can use a kneading machine.
6- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until you get a smooth malleable dough that is a little bit sticky.
7- Place the dough in a bowl, sprinkle a bit of flour on top, and cover with a clean cloth. Let it rest for 1 hour in a warm place, you will notice that the dough doubles in volume.
8- Using your fist, push the dough down to remove all the gas bubbles.
9- Cut a little bit of dough and roll it quickly between a flat surface and the palm of your hand for a minute to create a round shape. The dough balls should be the size of a tennis ball.
10- Place the dough balls in a baking pan covered with parchment paper and cover the dough balls with a clean cloth and let rest for 1 hour for the dough to gain more volume.
Step 3: Bake, Plate, and Enjoy
11- After 1 hour, beat one egg and brush the buns from the top and sides. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of each bun.
12- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C / 390°F for around 20 minutes or until the buns have a beautiful deep brown color.
13- Plate and enjoy.