Tahınlı (Cypriot Tahini Pastries)

My favourite pastries EVER. No croissant or pain au chocolat could ever compare to the sticky, flaky, flat, yet slightly doughy texture of a beautiful Cypriot tahınlı.

Like so many of these traditional recipes, there will always be slight variations in texture and shape from one bakery or home cook to another, but for me, the genuine, original and freshly baked texture that I've only really experienced from traditional bakeries in Cyprus is the best. I've tried my hardest to emulate that here with this recipe. Sparkling water is a key ingredient to give the bread that flaky yet light, doughy texture, and if you can get hold of some brown tahini, then use a couple of tablespoons in place of the regular tahini. Full recipe in Meliz’s Kitchen - you can watch the recipe reel here 

Makes 6

For the dough

100 ml (3½ fl oz) warm water

1 tbsp caster sugar

7 g (¼ oz) fast-action dried yeast

250 g (9 oz) strong white bread flour

250 g (9 oz) plain flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp mahleb

200 ml (7 fl oz) sparkling water

2 tosp olive oil

For the filling

300 g (10% oz) tahini

100 g (3½ oz) light brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the syrup

4 tbsp clear honey

1 tbsp caster sugar

5 tbsp cold water

2 cinnamon stick

Pour the warm water into a heatproof jug and stir through one tablespoon of sugar until it dissolves. Add the yeast and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it turns frothy and activates.

While you are waiting for the yeast mixture to activate, add the flour, salt, cinnamon and mahleb to a large bowl and make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour the activated yeast mixture into the well, followed by the sparkling water and most of the oil (reserving half a teaspoon for later), and use either a standing mixer with the dough hook attachment to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, or use your hands to knead the mixture on a clean work surface for 10-12 minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. Tuck the sides under the dough to create a smooth ball, rub a little more oil over it, and then place back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic film, then with a tea towel, and leave it somewhere warm and cosy to prove for 20 minutes.

While the dough is proving, prepare the filling. Ensure that you stir the tahini well in its jar or pot, so that the seed oils are mixed through and the thick paste that often gets stuck at the bottom is released. Mix the tahini, light brown sugar and the two teaspoons of cinnamon in a bowl and leave to one side.

After the dough has rested for 20 minutes, remove from the bowl and divide and weigh it into six equal pieces (roughly 140 g/5 oz each).

Using the palm of your hand, roll each piece into a smooth ball on a clean work surface, then cover with a tea towel and leave for another 10-15 minutes. 

Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/gas mark 5 and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the first ball of dough as thinly as you can It doesn't have to be perfectly shaped, just a rough rectangle with the longest side facing you, but it should be rolled out as thinly as possible without tearing.

Spread 3-4 tablespoons of the tahini mixture all over the dough, as evenly as possibly, using a knife and leaving a 2-3-cm (1-1¼-inch) border all around the edges (to prevent the tahini spilling out on to the surface when you roll and twist the dough). 

Fold over one-third of the longest side of the dough, then another third until you have a thin rectangular pocket full of the tahini mixture, then start to roll the dough, as if you were rolling a rolling pin so that it gets thinner and longer, until it's around 6o-cm (24-inch) long. Take each end of this long piece of dough and twist it by moving your hands in opposite directions. The dough might tear in places and a little of the tahini might seep out, which is absolutely fine and what we actually want. 

Now turn the long piece of dough into a spiral, taking the end and slotting it through the centre so that the end just pokes through without sticking out. Using the rolling pin, and rolling from the centre outwards, gently flatten the spiral around the edges, leaving the centres just very slightly raised, so that the creases are much less prominent (and will rise together when cooked, but so that the insides will still have that spiral-like texture). 

The rolled out pastry should have a diameter of around 16 cm (6 inches). Brush the top, and around the creases with a little of the tahini mixture and place the uncooked pastry on the baking sheet.

Quickly repeat the process with the remaining five pieces of dough until you have three uncooked tahini on each baking sheet and let them all rest for a further 10 minutes before putting the sheets in the oven.

While the pastries are resting, prepare the syrup. Add the honey, sugar, cold water and cinnamon stick to a small pan and place over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and let it slowly bubble for 5 minutes until you have a thickened, syrupy liquid. Remove from the heat.

Bake the pastries for 20-22 minutes or until beautifully golden brown.

Brush each tahini, all over, with the reduced syrup and place on to a cooling rack over a baking tray (to catch any dripping liquid). 

Serve warm with a cup of Kokulu Çay (Spiced Cypriot Tea, page 42), Turkish coffee, or even a simple cup of milky coffee.