Sesame Bread with Olive & Walnut Oil

Roll them out thin, cut into strips, twist them into long sticks. Fifty minutes of rise time, fourteen minutes in the oven, and suddenly you’ve got something that tastes like it came from a proper bakery. Except it’s vegan. Except it cost you basically nothing. Had a bag of sesame seeds sitting around and a walnut oil that needed using. This happened.

Why You’ll Love This Sesame Bread

Takes an hour total and most of that’s waiting around. No dairy. No eggs. Just flour, water, oil, seeds — vegan without feeling like you’re making a sacrifice. Tastes better the next day. Crisp outside, still soft enough to break. The black sesame gives it something. Not sure what exactly — earthier. Different from white sesame. Works as a snack, works as a side, works when you’re standing in front of the fridge at 11 PM wondering what to eat. One of those things that covers a lot of ground.

What You Need for Sesame Bread

Flour. All-purpose, unbleached. Two hundred sixty grams — about a cup and three quarters. Sugar and salt. A teaspoon of sugar, basically just enough to wake up the yeast. Three quarters of a teaspoon of salt. Sounds small but it matters. Instant yeast. Three quarters of a teaspoon. Water. Warm. Not hot — warm. One hundred sixty milliliters. Two thirds of a cup. Two oils. Extra virgin olive oil and walnut oil. You need both. Olive oil alone tastes flat. Walnut oil brings something that makes it worth the trouble. Thirteen milliliters of each — a tablespoon plus a teaspoon, roughly. Don’t get weird about it. Black sesame seeds and flaxseed. Optional but don’t skip it. Forty milliliters total — about two and a half tablespoons. The black sesame tastes different than regular sesame. Nuttier. The flax adds a texture thing that works.

How to Make Sesame Bread

Flour, sugar, yeast, salt go in a bowl together. Big bowl. Or a mixer with a dough hook if you’re that person. Warm water first, then drizzle the oils in while you’re mixing. You’re looking for a rough ball — not smooth yet, just everything incorporated. Takes three or four minutes. Now you knead. Floured counter if you’re doing it by hand. Six to seven minutes. It’ll go from shaggy to smooth and elastic — you’ll feel it get there. The dough stops sticking to your hands. That’s when you know. Ball it up. Put it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with something damp — a cloth, a plastic bag, whatever. Somewhere warm. Humid is better. A turned-off oven with the light on works. Two hours. Maybe two and a half. It should double. You’ll know when it’s doubled.

How to Get Sesame Bread Rolls Crispy

Oven to 210 degrees Celsius. That’s 410 Fahrenheit. Center rack. Preheat while the dough’s finishing its rise. Two baking sheets, parchment paper, brush the parchment lightly with oil. Matters more than you think — the sticks don’t stick that way. Dust the dough with flour and tip it out onto your counter. Roll it out to a rectangle — roughly 26 by 11 centimeters. Ten by four and a half inches. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife and cut thin strips about one centimeter wide. Roll each strip into a tight rod. Thirty centimeters long — twelve inches. Tight matters here. Loose ones don’t get crispy, they get chewy. Roll them on the counter like you’re making snakes. Get them long and thin and wound tight. Twelve sticks per sheet. Brush with oil. Not drenched. Just enough so the seeds stick. Sprinkle the seed blend over them — the black sesame and flax. Roll them gently on the counter so the seeds press in. One more brush of oil if they look dry. Bake one sheet at a time. Fourteen minutes. They’ll go golden. They’ll be crisp. The color is dark tan, almost brown in spots. That’s right. Cool them completely on a rack before you store them. Warm they’re still soft. They firm up as they cool.

Sesame Bread Roll Tips and Common Mistakes

Walnut oil is the thing. Don’t skip it. Regular bread is boring. This isn’t. Your water temperature matters. Cold slows fermentation. Too hot kills the yeast. Warm means you can stick your finger in it and count to three. That warm. The rise time depends on your kitchen. Fifty minutes was an estimate. Could be two hours if it’s cold. Could be ninety minutes if it’s summer and you’re leaving the door open. Watch the dough, not the clock. One sheet at a time in the oven. Two sheets means uneven baking — the top one browns while the bottom one’s still pale. Don’t skip the second brush with oil before the seeds go on. They’ll fall off otherwise. Tried it once without the flax. Just black sesame. Works fine but feels less interesting. The flax adds a crunch that’s different. Cool them all the way. They crisp up as they cool. Eat them warm and they’re soft. Still good, just not what you’re going for.

Sesame Bread with Olive & Walnut Oil

By Emma

Prep:

50 min

Cook:

14 min

Total:

64 min

Servings:

2 dozens

Ingredients

• 260 g (1 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 6 ml (1 1/4 tsp) granulated sugar
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp) instant yeast
• 3 ml (3/4 tsp) salt
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) warm water
• 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil plus some for brushing
• 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) walnut oil
• 40 ml (2 2/3 tbsp) black sesame seeds and flaxseed mix (optional)

Method

1. 1 Mix flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a big bowl or mixer bowl with dough hook.
2. 2 Add warm water and both oils gradually, stir to form rough dough ball.
3. 3 Knead 6 to 7 minutes on floured surface until smooth or in mixer until supple.
4. 4 Shape dough into ball, place in lightly oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth.
5. 5 Let rest in warm humid spot for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until doubled.
6. 6 Preheat oven to 210°C (410°F), position rack in center.
7. 7 Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, brush parchment lightly with oil.
8. 8 Dust dough with flour, turn out onto surface.
9. 9 Roll dough out to roughly 26 x 11 cm rectangle (10 x 4.5 inches).
10. 10 Cut into thin strips about 1 cm wide with pizza cutter or sharp knife.
11. 11 Roll each strip into tight 30 cm (12 inch) long rods on the counter.
12. 12 Arrange 12 sticks per sheet, brush with oil, sprinkle with seed blend.
13. 13 Roll sticks gently to stick seeds well.
14. 14 Bake one sheet at a time for 14 minutes or until sticks are golden and crisp.
15. 15 Cool on wire rack completely before storing in airtight container.
16. 16 Keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutritional information

Calories

95

Protein

2g

Carbs

11g

Fat

5g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sesame Bread Rolls

Can I make sesame seed bread without walnut oil? Not really. You could use avocado oil but walnut oil is specific. It brings a flavor that makes this thing work. Don’t substitute with olive oil only — it tastes flat. Walnut oil is the point.

How long does sesame bread keep? Room temperature, airtight container, up to a week. After that the sesame flavor gets weird. Freezes fine if you want to save them.

Do I have to use black sesame seeds? White sesame works. Tastes lighter. Less earthy. Some people prefer it. Black sesame is darker looking though and that’s half the appeal here.

What if my dough doesn’t double in two hours? Your kitchen’s cold. That’s fine. Let it go longer. Could be three hours. Could be ninety minutes. Depends on how warm it is. Doubled is the thing you’re watching for, not the time.

Can I make these into rolls instead of sticks? Probably. Roll them tighter and shorter, bake the same. Might come out more bread-like, less crispy. Haven’t tried it.

Why does the recipe say to bake one sheet at a time? Two sheets in a home oven means the top gets golden while the bottom’s still pale. The oven’s heat isn’t even enough. One sheet, fourteen minutes, they bake through.