Easy & Delicious Turkish Bread

This Turkish Bread recipe results in golden brown round loaves with a fluffy texture and sesame seeds on top. It contains yeast which gives the bread a delicious and complex flavor while also helping the bread rise. Since it has a flatter texture than other types of bread, it is perfect for serving with various Turkish dips like hummus, baba ganoush, muhammara, and more.

To make this Turkish bread, you start by stirring sugar and yeast in milk so the yeast dissolves. Then, you mix the flour with the salt, yeast mixture, and olive oil until a dough forms. After that, the bread gets divided into portions before being flattened and allowed to rise. Finally, the bread gets topped with egg yolks before being indented in an attractive way and sprinkled with sesame seeds. This Turkish bread is delicious when eaten warm from the oven!

What is Turkish Bread?

Turkish bread, also known as bazlama, is a type of bread that is shaped into a round flat loaf and leavened with yeast. Often, this bread is topped with dried chili known as pul biber, but it can be topped with sesame seeds as well. This particular version uses sesame seeds which become a beautiful golden color in the oven and have a tantalizing toasted flavor!

Pro Tips

• The milk should be warm but not too hot as that will kill the yeast. A good temperature for the milk would be about 100 F/37.7 C.
• You will be able to tell you have kneaded the dough enough when it is smooth and elastic. When you press your finger into it, the dough should spring back as well.
• If you would like to make sure that the breads are even sizes, you could weigh the entire dough first and then divide that number by three so that you know what each portion should weigh.
• Feel free to use different garnishes on your Turkish bread such as chili flakes, black sesame seeds, or nigella seeds.
• If the temperature varies in different parts of your oven, you may want to turn the baking sheet halfway through baking to ensure that the bread bakes evenly.

What to Serve with Turkish Bread?

Bazlama is often served as part of a Turkish breakfast with eggs and cheese, however, you can serve it with any meal where you would typically have pita or naan. It is great for sopping up curries and dal, or dipping into hummus or baba ganoush.

Why is My Bread Not Rising?

If you find that your Turkish bread doesn’t rise as it sits, it could be that the yeast you used has expired or that the milk was too hot and killed it. Before you begin making this recipe, you should make sure that your yeast is fresh and still usable. You should also make sure that you don’t heat your milk past 100 F/37.7 C.

Can I Use Turkish Bread for Pizza?

Yes, you definitely could! Rather than shaping the bread as the recipe shows, you could roll it out before topping it with your favorite pizza toppings, and baking it on a pizza stone or lined baking sheet.

What Other Types of Turkish Breads are There?

Besides bazlama, there is also simit, ekmek, lavash, and pide. Simit may be the most recognizable Turkish bread for many people as it is a circular bread with a bagel-like texture and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

How to Store Turkish Bread

This Turkish bread can be stored in a sealed bag or airtight container at room temperature, although it is best enjoyed the day it is made. If you do have leftovers, they should stay fresh for up to 2 or 3 days.

How to Make Turkish Bread

Step 1

Step 1

In a bowl, whisk the sugar and yeast into the warm milk, and set it aside for 10 minutes. In another bowl, stir the flour with the salt, yeast mixture, egg white, and olive oil until combined. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Shape the dough into a ball and allow it to rise for 1 hour.

In a bowl, whisk the sugar and yeast into the warm milk, and set it aside for 10 minutes. In another bowl, stir the flour with the salt, yeast mixture, egg white, and olive oil until combined. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Shape the dough into a ball and allow it to rise for 1 hour.

Step 2

Step 2

Divide the dough into three portions and flatten them into circles; set them aside for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into three portions and flatten them into circles; set them aside for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Step 3

Rub an egg yolk on top of each circle of dough, creating indentations in the dough, and sprinkle them with the sesame seeds. Bake them in a 375 F/190 C oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Rub an egg yolk on top of each circle of dough, creating indentations in the dough, and sprinkle them with the sesame seeds. Bake them in a 375 F/190 C oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 4

Step 4

Serve the bread while warm or allow it to cool to room temperature before serving.

Serve the bread while warm or allow it to cool to room temperature before serving.