Armenian Tahini Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Stir together yeast, 1 tsp. of the sugar, and 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl; set aside to let rest until frothy, 8-10 minutes.
• Stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl, then add yeast mixture, 2 tbsp. of the oil, and 1 cup water; stir into a rough dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes.
• Place dough into a large bowl greased with remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let sit in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350F
• Divide dough into 2 balls, cover with a towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Working on a lightly floured surface with 1 ball at a time, roll dough out into a 25" circle (keep remaining dough covered).
• Gently spread half the tahini evenly over the dough and sprinkle with 1 1⁄2 cups of the sugar.
• Roll the circle up end to end to make a rope. Gently roll and stretch the rope to double the length, then cut into 6-8 equal pieces. Tightly coil each rope so that it resembles a cinnamon roll, then flatten each with your hand into a dough round on a lightly floured surface. Roll out each round into a 7" circle, then transfer the circles to parchment paper-lined baking sheets, keeping them spaced apart.
• Let rest while you repeat the process with the remaining dough.
• Mist each round of dough generously with water and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets.

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, butter and margarine. Heat until butter and margarine are melted, but do not let it boil. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved, then set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface, and let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and stir a little to break up the yolks. Slowly pour in the heated milk mixture while whisking constantly, so as to temper the eggs and not cook them. Add the yeast mixture, and stir just until blended.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, mahleb, and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until it forms a sticky dough. Pour onto a floured surface, and knead in additional flour as needed to make a more substantial dough. Knead for about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, and set in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• When the dough has doubled, punch down again, and let rise until doubled. It will only take about half as long this time.
• Separate the dough into 5 even portions, then separate each of those into thirds. Roll each of those into ropes about 12 inches long. Braid sets of three ropes together, pinching the ends to seal, and tucking them under for a better presentation. Place the loaves onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Loaves should be spaced 4 inches apart. Set in a warm place to rise until your finger leaves an impression behind when you poke the loaf gently.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush the loaves with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until nicely golden brown all over.