Three recipes for “ka’ak” are given in the medieval Kitab al Wusla il al Habib (see appendix). Here is my mother’s. It makes rather a large quantity, but they keep for a long time in a box. My mother kept a biscuit tin permanently full of them. She said she used margarine rather than butter because it did not become rancid if you kept the kahk a long time.
Some people allow the dough to rise once in the large bowl first. Pour 1 tablespoon oil in the bottom of the bowl and turn the dough around in it to grease it all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 1–2 hours, until the dough has doubled in bulk. Punch down and knead again for a minute or so before shaping the little bracelets. Brush with egg and dip in sesame seeds. Place them on baking sheets and let them rise again for 20 minutes.
