Ka'ak (Savory Ring-Shaped Biscuit)

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

Instructions

1. 1Combine water, oil and soft margarine (or butter) in bowl.
2. 2Mix together flour, baking powder (or dried yeast), brown sugar, salt, and spices.
3. 3Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients (except egg yolks) until you get a dough .
4. 4Let dough mixture rest for 30 minutes until it reaches its proper consistency.
5. 5Cut dough into half. Roll each half into a coil with your hands. You should now have 2 pieces.
6. 6Cut each coil in half, and again roll out each coil into a smaller coil with one's hands. You should now have 4 pieces.
7. 7Cut each coil in half, and again roll out each coil into a smaller coil with one's hands. You should now have 8 pieces.
8. 8Cut each coil at angles into 4 equal pieces. You should now have 32 pieces
9. 9Pinch together the ends of each coil so that it forms a ring. Place on a baking sheet , and let sit until the dough rises.
10. 10Brush each dough ring with egg yolk .
11. 11Bake in a preheated oven at a low heat (212–338°F / 100–170°C) until they begin to emit vapors. Then, remove from the oven.