Recipe: Kaak - Romina: here is a repost with detailed recipes

Kaak (milk cakes), Shepardic Cookie Rings (and Pizza Hut Style Pizza Dough)
To: Recipelink.com From: bme aust 1-25-2002

KAAK is made three ways: one uses all baking powder, one uses a mix of baking powder/yeast and the other uses only yeast.

The baking powder with the yeast in a dough makes a chewy, tender crust. I love pizza base made with both leaveners.

Pizza Hut Style Pizza Dough

1 1/4 cup water to 1 1/3 c
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast to 1 3/4 ts

Bread machine: Add ingredients to machine bread pan in order given or as per manufacturer's instructions. Set to 'dough' mode. Deflate dough, shape and rest a further 20 minutes.

TO TOP:
Take 1 -1 1/2 tb oil and smear completely over dough surface.
Cover with pizza/spaghetti/tomato sauce.
Add meats/vegetables.
Sprinkle cheese, cheese and more cheese - I prefer a drier kind: if oily, restrict amount used.

'Pizza Hut' Style Dough Mix with recipe

12 cups flour
1 cup stone ground cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons baking powder

In a large bowl, whisk together very well. Store in well sealed plastic bags. Keeps 4 months.
To make pizza dough:
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
3 cups dough mix
2 tablespoons oil

This dough can be kneaded by bread machine on dough cycle, following manufacturer instructions.
Deflate before proceeding, shape and rest a further 20 minutes.
Each batch makes one family size 18 inch round pizza, or a 18 by 10 inch rectangle.

KAAK

1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. Yeast
6 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk (warm)
5 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar

* Dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup water, add yeast and set aside for 5 minutes.
* In a large mixing bowl, place flour, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Place 1 1/2 cups warm milk, eggs, butter and yeast mixture inside the well. Knead until flour leaves the sides of the bowl and dough is smooth. Cover with plastic sheet, then a tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise for 30-40 minutes.
* Knead again, cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes further.
* Heat oven to 400 F.
* Cut a piece of dough the size of a walnut. Roll into a rope shape
* approximately 5-6 inches long, join ends together to form a ring, press ends together to secure.
* Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes to a golden brown.
* Meanwhile prepare glaze. Place 1 cup of milk in a saucepan, add sugar.
* Place over medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.
* Dip warm Kaak in the milk and sugar glaze, Place on tray to dry.

Serve with coffee, tea or as a snack.

KAAK B'HALIB (milk cakes)

500 g flour
100 g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup of milk
200 g sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon powdered aromatic plants: wild cherry seed, marjoram, aniseed.

Mix the flour, yeast, aromatic plants and gradually add the olive oil and melted butter. Dilute the sugar in the milk and add to the mixture. Knead the dough and allow to rest for 2 hours. Shape flat cakes about 7 cm in diameter and 1 cm thick (wooden molds exist to imprint a motif on the dough). They can also be stretched in the shapes of bracelets thick as a finger. Bake in medium oven after preheating it at a high temperature. They are eaten lukewarm or cold.
Tips
Once the kaaks are baked, you can dilute 2 tablespoons of sugar in half a cup of milk and dip the top face of the cakes in it, then sprinkle them with sugar. Allow to dry a bit before serving.

BISCOCHOS DE HUEVO (Separdic Cookie Rings) #see note
Makes: 48

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

# NOTE: These sweet cookie rings, also called ROSKITAS DE GUEVE and in Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and India, KAAK are served as desayuno (Sabbath and festival breakfast), and other festive occasions, including the meal following Yom Kippur.

Position a rack in the center of the oven Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla or cinnamon. Gradually stir in the flour mixture to make a soft dough.
Roll the dough into 1/2-inch-thick ropes. Cut the ropes into 6-inch lengths and bring the ends together to form rings. If desired, cut gashes on the outer edges every 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Place the rings, 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until firm but not browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.
For extra-crisp cookies, turn off the oven, return all of the baked cookies, and let stand for 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer.

VARIATION:
Biscochos de Muez (Sephardic Nut Cookies)

Dip the tops of the nut dough rings into a lightly beaten egg, then into 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts or almonds. Place nut side up on the baking sheet.