Black and White Sesame Sisters

Black and White Sesame Sisters

These loaves were a fun invention during my sourdough days. I was teaching sourdough workshops on weekends, and a class favorite was always the black boule. I’ve adapted the recipe for commercial-yeast bakers. The recipe is for one single overnight loaf, so if you want to make both sisters at once, make them separately in two bowls the night before.

The beautiful color of the black loaf is achieved by adding activated charcoal to the dough. The yin-yang effect is done by rolling the white loaf in black sesame seeds and the black loaf in white sesame seeds. The charcoal doesn’t change the flavor or texture of the bread at all. These are total showstoppers!

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon instant or active yeast

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons activated charcoal (in the black loaf)

1 ½ cups water

1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)

For rolling:

2-3 tablespoons black sesame seeds (for the white loaf)

2-3 tablespoons white sesame seeds (for the black loaf)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients, including the charcoal, if using. Add water and optional sesame oil, and mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be sticky and shaggy. 

Cover the bowl and let it sit on the counter at room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. The dough will be level and bubbly when it’s ready.

Preheat the oven to 450 F and place your cast iron in the oven with the lid on. Preheating the cast iron helps create the perfect baking environment for the dough.

Lightly flour the countertop and your hands, and turn out the dough. With the sticky, unfloured side up, sprinkle generously with the sesame seeds, patting to make sure they stick, then very gently shape it into a long loaf, about 10 inches in length.* Be careful not to deflate the dough. 

Dust a square of parchment paper with flour, place the dough on top, and let it rest for 30 minutes, covered with a dry tea towel. 

When the oven has been preheated for 15 minutes, lower the parchment and bread into the hot cast iron. If you would like, score the dough with one long slash or three diagonal slashes. Replace the lid, and bake for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, and bake for another 15 minutes until browned. 

Once done, remove the bread from the pot and place on a wire rack to cool. 

*Alternatively, you can shape the loaves into round boules and they cook just the same.