Faysa's Baska Bread
Baska Bread/lalaloula
Baska bread is made for holidays or celebrations in Arab countries. It is a sweet bread made with anise, fennel, black cumin and sesame seeds.
On a day when many will gather to visit and give thanks for such friends and companions, a platter of baska bread will bring smiles and laughter. It is not an easy bread to make, but it is surely one of the most delicious breads that Arabs have to offer. This recipe is from Faysa Abu Sbeh, a local woman who is known for her delicious treats.
How to Make Baska Bread
Ingredients
Directions to Make Baska Bread
Baska bread is normally served on special holidays or occasions, but it may be served at anytime to guests or family members. When this is served with some mint tea, the guest will feel very important and special.
On a day when many will gather to visit and give thanks for such friends and companions, a platter of baska bread will bring smiles and laughter. It is not an easy bread to make, but it is surely one of the most delicious breads that Arabs have to offer. This recipe is from Faysa Abu Sbeh, a local woman who is known for her delicious treats.
How to Make Baska Bread
Ingredients
- 1 kilo of flour
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 cup of milk powder
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 eggs (1 to be used for egg wash)
- Warm Water
- 2 tablespoons of anise seeds
- 2 tablespoons of black cumin seeds (Nigella Sativa)
- 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
- 2 packages of yeast
- Extra oil to brush the bread mixture with
Directions to Make Baska Bread
- On a large working surface put the flour, milk powder and sugar. Mix the dry ingredients with a fork.
- In a separate small bowl add in the yeast to some lukewarm water to dissolve. Let the yeast and water set for at least 5 minutes.
- Make a hole in the middle of the flour and add the yeast mixture, 1 egg and oil. With a fork start mixing the flour mixture with the wet ingredients.
- In a coffee grinder add in the fennel seeds and one tablespoon of the anise seeds and grind them to a fine powder. Add them to a small bowl along with the black cumin seeds, sesame seeds and the other tablespoon of anise seeds. Add the seeds to the bread and mix well.
- After the bread dough is mixed together, add in some extra water to finish making the bread dough the right consistency.
- Knead the bread for 10 minutes or until the bread is very soft and pliable.
- Work the dough into a ball and brush the ball with oil and cover with a bowl right on the working surface.
- Let the bread double in size and then cut the bread into 20-24 individual loaves. With each individual loaf, roll them out to a circle about the size of a 6 inch pita.
- With each pita, brush them with oil again on both sides and let them rise on an oiled large baking sheet. Cover the bread so they do not dry out and let rise a second time for around 45 minutes to one hour.
- After the bread has risen again the second time, brush them with an egg wash. This can be one egg beaten or one egg beaten with some water.
- Bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees until brown on both sides. This bread is better served hot.
Baska bread is normally served on special holidays or occasions, but it may be served at anytime to guests or family members. When this is served with some mint tea, the guest will feel very important and special.