SWEET TAHINI ROLLS

For the dough:

1½ tsp fast-action dried yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

110ml whole milk, lukewarm 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 75g unsalted butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Olive oil, for greasing

Salt

For the filling:

100g caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

120g tahini

For the topping:

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

METHOD

First make the dough. Put the yeast, sugar and milk into a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes, until it starts to get frothy.

Meanwhile, put the flour and ½ teaspoon of salt into the bowl of a free-standing mixer, with the dough hook in place. Mix on a low speed, then slowly pour in the yeast mixture. Add the butter and mix for 1 minute. Add the egg, then increase the speed to medium and leave for 5 minutes. Using your hands, scrape the dough into a ball. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it a couple of times. Cover and leave to rest for 1 hour.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 35 x 50cm rectangle. Drizzle the tahini over the dough and spread it out evenly, leaving 1cm clear of tahini at both the shorter ends. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the tahini and leave for 10 minutes.

Starting from one of the long sides, roll the dough inwards to form a long, thin sausage. Trim away about 2cm from each end, then slice the dough into 10 equal piece. Sit each piece upright, so that its cut side is facing upwards, then gently flatten out to form an 8cm-wide circle. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Transfer the rolls to a parchment-lined baking tray, spaced 2-3cm apart. Brush the tops and sides with egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 18 minutes, then set aside for 20 minutes and serve.

From ‘Falastin: A Cookbook’ by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley (Ebury Press)