Turkish Açma Bagels
395kcal
Ingredients
The Main Dough
- 100 g Water
- 100 g Milk
- 50 g Sugar
- 3 g Dry instant yeast (or 9g fresh yeast)
- 350 g Bread flour
- 7 g Salt
- 40 g Neutral vegetable oil (kneaded into the dough mass)
The Lamination Layer
- 6 tsp Unsalted butter (softened completely to room temperature, divided into 1 tsp portions)
The Authentic Topping
- 1 Egg yolk
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (Optional, can also be easily kneaded by hand)
- Large Baking Sheet Pan
Method
Autolyse and Enriched Dough Kneading
- 8:00 AM: In your stand mixer bowl (or a large mixing bowl), combine the 100g of water, 100g of milk, 3g of dry instant yeast, 50g of sugar, and 7g of salt. Whisk briefly by hand until dissolved, then add the 350g of bread flour.
- Knead the mixture by hand or with a spatula just until all the dry flour pockets vanish and a shaggy mass forms. Cover the bowl and let it rest undisturbed for 30 minutes for the autolyse phase, allowing the flour to fully absorb the liquids and jumpstart gluten development.
- 8:30 AM: Pour the 40g of neutral vegetable oil directly over the rested dough. Knead by hand vigorously or turn your stand mixer to medium-low speed. The dough will look very wet and split apart in the oil initially—continue kneading patiently for 5 to 7 minutes until the oil is completely absorbed and the dough transforms into a smooth, elastic, and extraordinarily soft ball.
- Shape the dough into a smooth round, cover tightly, and let it proof at warm room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours until it has cleanly doubled in size.
Lamination, Twisting, and Hand-Sealing
- 10:30 AM: Lightly grease your countertop with a thin film of oil (do not use flour). Turn out the puffy dough and use a bench scraper to divide it into 6 equal pieces. Round each piece into a tight ball.
- Take one dough ball and press down with the palms of your hands, flattening it evenly into a broad circle roughly 7 to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter.
- Spread exactly 1 teaspoon of the softened room-temperature butter evenly across the top surface of the dough circle.
- Starting from the bottom edge, roll the dough up tightly and evenly into a dense cylinder. Repeat this rolling and buttering process for the remaining 5 dough balls.
- Take your first buttered cylinder log and roll it back and forth against the counter under your palms, gently sliding your hands outward toward the ends to stretch, elongate, and thin the tips until you have a long, even rope.
- Overlap the two outer ends of the rope, twisting them over each other twice to form a classic coiled circle. Slide your hand through the center hole, and use your palm to roll the overlapping ends back and forth firmly against the counter to fuse and seal the joint seamlessly. Arrange the finished bagel onto a tray lined with parchment paper.
Final Tray Proof and Baking
- 11. Let the shaped Turkish bagels proof uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour until they look noticeably plumper and wider.
- 12. While they proof, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare your bakery wash by thoroughly whisking together the single egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of milk in a small dish.
- 13. Using a pastry brush, gently coat the top and sides of each puffed bagel with the egg wash mixture, then sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds evenly across the surfaces.
- 14. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until the exterior crust turns a rich, deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down slightly before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Calories395kcalCarbohydrates53gProtein10gFat16gSaturated Fat5gPolyunsaturated Fat6gMonounsaturated Fat4gTrans Fat0.2gCholesterol48mgSodium96mgPotassium140mgFiber2gSugar10gVitamin A209IUVitamin C0.3mgCalcium50mgIron1mg
Notes
- Managing the Heavy Oil Incorporation Step: Home bakers often worry when they pour the 40g of neutral oil over the dough mass and find it swimming in grease. Do not panic or add extra raw flour to dry it out! Keep your stand mixer running continuously or continue working it manually by hand; within a few minutes of friction, the flour's gluten network will completely lock in the oil, leaving you with a dough that is incredibly silky, supple, and entirely non-greasy to the touch.
- Sourdough Conversion Adaptations: This yeast-based recipe can be easily adapted into a traditional sourdough version if you prefer a deeper flavor profile. Omit the 3g of dry instant yeast entirely and add exactly 70g of active, mature sourdough starter into the liquid mix right at the start of day two before the autolyse phase. Because wild yeast moves slower, extend your primary bulk fermentation rise time to 4 or 5 hours, and stretch your final post-shaping tray proof out to 1.5 to 2 hours before baking.
- Why Flourless Counter Shaping is Key: When flattening, buttering, and twisting the açma dough, keep all raw wheat flour far away from your work surface. Dusting flour onto the table will dry out the high-fat dough and prevent the layers from sliding together correctly. Instead, lightly grease your countertop with a few drops of neutral oil to create an absolute non-stick surface that allows the buttered dough ropes to roll and stretch smoothly.
- Açma vs. Simit Presentation Styles: It is helpful to understand that this recipe creates a distinct style of Turkish pastry bagel known as Açma, which is distinct from the crispy, ring-shaped Simit sold by street vendors. While simit dough is lean and dunked in a dark molasses-and-water bath before being baked to a crunchy snap, açma dough is heavily enriched with oil and rolled with interior butter, yielding an incredibly soft, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth breakfast bun texture.