• 2 cup Soft flour (Type "00" flour, approx. 300g)
• 1 tsp Ground aniseed (approx. 5g)
• ½ tsp Mastic powder (approx. 2g)
• 1 level teaspoon (2g) ground mahlab (mahlepi)
• 1 tsp Sugar (approx. 5g)
• A tiny bit of ground cinnamon
• A tiny bit of ground cloves
• 1 ½ tsp Salt (approx. 12g)
For the coating:
• 1 cup Sesame seeds (approx. 150g)
• ½ tsp Aniseed (approx. 2g)
• 1 tbsp Nigella seeds (approx. 10g)
METHOD
For the coating:
1. Put plenty of water in a saucepan and add the sesame seeds. Boil for 3 - 4 minutes. Rinse with plenty of cold water. Strain and spread on a towel. Add the aniseed and the nigella seeds. Mix well and cover with the towel to keep it moist.
For the kneading:
1. Pour ½ cup of lukewarm water into a bowl and add the yeast. Stir and set aside for 20 minutes to bloom. In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine the two types of flour and add the aniseed, mastic, mahlab, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix and add the yeast mixture and the remaining water. Knead with the dough hook in the mixer for 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl. Score a cross in the middle of the surface and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Set aside to rise for about 1 hour. Take the risen dough and knead it again. Divide it into 3 parts to form 3 'Daktylies' (rings). Take 1 piece and roll it out into a large, thick log measuring 30X5 cm. Place it in the sesame mixture and roll it to ensure the sesame sticks well. Roll it on your counter as well to make sure the sesame adheres properly. With a sharp knife, cut the dough vertically and slightly diagonally into 15 pieces, pressing firmly—that is, cut pieces about 2 cm thick. Leave the first piece on the left in place and join the rest on top, turning them from the opposite side. Leave the last piece as it is. Place the ring on a baking tray lined with non-stick parchment paper. Repeat the process with the remaining 2 rings. Cover with a towel and let the Daktylies rise for 1 hour. To check if they are ready, press the dough with your finger; if the impression returns (disappears or fades), then they are ready for the oven. Another trick to check if they are ready is to place the small piece of dough you cut off at the beginning into a glass of tap water. (You can do this during the initial dough rise and the second rise, after letting the small piece of dough sit for 1 hour, just like the rest of the dough). When the small piece of dough floats to the surface, you are ready to bake. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C on fan mode for 50 minutes.
