Ka'ak (Savory Ring-Shaped Biscuit)
Ka'ak (Arabic: كعك), is a biscuit traditionally baked while clinging to the wall of a clay oven, or on the floor of a masonry oven. The dough is enriched with oil, sugar, black cumin, and yeast, and flavored with condiments, such as honey or sugar, and it is basted with egg yolks (as desired). It is eaten extensively throughout the Middle East and Persia.
Ingredients
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- ½ cup vegetable oil (preferably canola oil)
- 100 g soft margarine or butter
- 3 cups wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder or dried yeast
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp black cumin (Nigella sativa) (optional)
- 10 g dried marjoram, za'atar or oregano (optional)
- ¾ tsp ground Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb) kernels (optional)
- 2 egg yolks (for basting), beaten
Steps
- Combine water, oil and soft margarine (or butter) in a bowl.
- Mix flour, baking powder (or dried yeast), brown sugar, salt and spices.
- Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients (except egg yolks) to form a dough.
- Rest dough 30 min.
- Cut dough in half. Roll each half into a coil by hand (2 pieces).
- Cut each coil in half. Roll each into a smaller coil (4 pieces).
- Cut each coil in half. Roll each into a smaller coil (8 pieces).
- Cut each coil at angles into 4 equal pieces (32 pieces).
- Pinch ends of each piece together to form a ring. Place on a baking sheet. Let rise.
- Brush each ring with egg yolk.
- Bake in preheated oven at 212–338°F / 100–170°C until they begin to emit vapors. Remove from oven.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Ka'ak (Savory Ring-Shaped Biscuit)” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-07-17, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo. Ka'ak bi ajwa كعك بعجوة.jpg by وسام زقوت, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia. Resized; otherwise unchanged.