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Baranki

Name: Baranki
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 100 min
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 220 ml lukewarm water; 5 g fast-action dried yeast; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 tsp salt; 450 g strong white flour; 2 tbsp poppy seeds; 1 tbsp sugar

Tea bread rings

Baranki (Баранки): small boiled-then-baked bread rings for dunking in tea

Features:

Vegetarian Dairy free Make ahead

Cuisine:

Russian

Strings of baranki once hung on poles at every Russian fair, and you still see them threaded on twine in Moscow markets and station kiosks. The dough is boiled briefly like a bagel, then baked until hard, golden and glossy, so the rings keep for weeks and soften only when dunked in hot, sweet tea from the samovar. This version is vegan, made with oil instead of butter and eggs. The common mistake is a soft, wet dough, which makes puffy bread rolls instead of crunchy rings. Chef's tip: knead the dough stiff and leave the shaped rings uncovered for 20 minutes to form a skin before boiling; that gives the shine.

Total time: 100 min
Difficulty: medium
Serves: 20

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Ingredients

Serves20

1 cup lukewarm water
⅛ oz fast-action dried yeast
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp salt
16 oz strong white flour
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp sugarfor the boiling water

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Method

0/5 done

Step 1: Mix 1 cup lukewarm water, ⅛ oz fast-action dried yeast, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp sunflower oil and 1 tsp salt. Add 16 oz strong white flour and knead for 10 minutes into a firm, smooth dough. It should feel stiffer than bread dough.
10 min
Step 2: Cover and leave for 30 minutes to relax.
30 min
Step 3: Divide into 20 pieces, roll each into a rope 20 cm long, loop into a ring and pinch the ends. Leave uncovered for 20 minutes.
15 min
Step 4: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan). Bring a wide pan of water to the boil with 1 tbsp sugar. Boil the rings a few at a time for 1 minute, until they float and look shiny. Lift out with a slotted spoon, dip one side in 2 tbsp poppy seeds and put on a lined tray.
10 min
Step 5: Bake for 18–20 minutes until deep golden and hard to the touch. Cool on a rack; they crisp further as they cool. Keep in a paper bag for up to 2 weeks.
20 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 100 kcal
Protein: 3 g
Carbs: 19 g
Fat: 1 g
Fibre: 1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does baranki take?: About 100 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?: Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Can I make it ahead?: Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?: Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
What can I use instead of sugar?: Caster sugar, same amount.

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