Lebanese Sweet Tahini Swirls Recipe

Gradually add the flour, a handful at a time, kneading quickly until you have a floppy, flexible dough that no longer sticks to your hands.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about 2 or 3 hours. Don't worry too much about how much it rises; the stretchiness is more important since you'll be rolling out the air later. Once risen, divide the dough into four balls.

Preheat your oven to 190 °C. If you're using a baking stone, place it on the middle rack now. Lightly dust your worktop with a mix of castor sugar and flour to prevent sticking while rolling.

Take one dough ball and roll it into a rough rectangle, about 2 to 3 mm thick, like a pizza crust. Scatter 1 teaspoon of olive oil evenly over the surface. In a separate bowl, combine the tahini with the sugar, and if using, stir in the lemon rind. This mixture will be a bit dry, like crumbs. Scatter it over the dough surface, then dust with cinnamon. Gently press the filling flat with the back of a spoon.

Gently roll, pull, and twist the dough cylinder until it lengthens into a 'sausage' about 40 to 50 cm long. Take one end and coil the sausage in on itself, forming a tight, rolled bun. Gently press it flat with your hand.

Transfer the bun onto a piece of parchment. Using a rolling pin, gently flatten it into a 15 cm wide circle, about 1 cm thick. Repeat with as many swirls as your oven can accommodate at once, keeping any remaining dough covered.

Using a pizza peel or an extra-wide spatula for support, carefully transfer the parchment squares with the flattened tahini swirls into the preheated oven.