It may looks like a bagel, but it’s no bagel for sure. This crusty roll with its fluffy crumb shares only the shape with the more prominent bagel. It is a regional speciality which is baked only in Dortmund.  It is topped generously with salt caraway seeds and often is spread with Mett. So – it’s said – the Innkeeper will sell more beer because salt increases the thirst.

The roll was inveted already back in the nineteenth century by the bakery Fisher. But the original recipe was lost when the bakery burned down during the bombing in the second world war. But it was reinvented is baked until today. But its distribution area is still restricted on the city of Dortmund. And so I’m very happy that I found this delicious little gem of regional tread!

Dortmunder Salzkuchen

yields 10 Salzkucken

Poolish

• 150g flour Type 550
• 150g Water
• 0,5g fresh yeast

Dough

• Poolish
• 350g flour Type 550
• 160g  Water
• 15g egg yolk (from 1 Egg size M)
• 15g Butter
• 3g active Malt
• 8g fresh yeast
• 10g Salt

Topping

• caraway seeds
• coarse Salt

Mix ingredients for the poolish and ferment it overnight (14-16 hours).

Knead all ingredients for the dough for 5 min at slow speed and 10 min at fast speed. The dough should be now soft, but not sticky.

Let the dough rise for two hours .

Divide the dough into 85g portions and form them into round rolls.Let them rest for 20 min.

Now form them to rings by  punching your thumb  through the middle and then widen the ring by rolling the dough between your fingers. At the end you should be able to insert 4 fingers through the hole. Turn each piece first on a wet towel to wet its surface, then in a mixture of caraway seeds and salt. Place the rolls on a paper lined baking tray.

Proof them for 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 230°C.

Turn the rolls, so that the cut side face upside once again, and place them on a paper lined baking tray. Mist with water and bake with steam for about 20 min at 230°C. For really crisp rolls turn to convection mode during the last 5 min.