These breadsticks are crisp on the outside and a little chewy on the inside. As written, these are covered in raw sesame seeds before baking, but you can swap them for an equal amount of poppy seeds (or just bake them plain!). The shaping technique makes the end result a little like a French baguette, but not quite as crusty. In fact, you can cut the dough into six equal pieces and shape them into six mini baguettes using the breadsticks shaping guide (see blog post for video). It's the same technique just using larger dough pieces. As written, the dough is kneaded on a standing mixer using a dough hook. See the recipe notes for instructions to mix and knead by hand. Like most homemade breads, these are best fresh. However, they can be baked 8 hours ahead of time and reheated in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes just before serving. Yields 12 breadsticks.This recipe originated from The Williams-Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook (Weldon-Owen circa 1998) and is presented here with a breadstick-shaping technique from a bread-making class I took in 2015.
1teaspoonfine grain sea saltor other fine grain salt
1large egg
2tablespoonscold water
1/4cupraw sesame seeds
Instructions
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Stir briefly and let stand 5 minutes, or until the mixture bubbles and foams.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the milk until hot and steaming but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Allow the butter to melt, swirling the pan occasionally. When the butter is completely melted the milk should be lukewarm (about 105°F). Pour this mixture into the foamed yeast mixture and stir briefly with a spoon.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and sea salt; whisk to mix.
Beat the flour into the yeast/milk mixture on low speed until a shaggy dough forms that mostly pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Change to the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. The dough should not be very sticky but have a little tack to its surface.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl and turn the dough over to coat all surfaces with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let stand in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes).
Lightly punch down the dough and turn onto a work surface. Cut the ball into four equal pieces (quarters) and then cut each quarter into three equal pieces. You will have 12 pieces of dough.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball under a cupped hand on an un-floured work surface. Place dough balls to the side and cover with a lightly damp tea towel.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Remove one ball of dough from under the towel and flatten on the work surface using your knuckles or the heel of your hand. Pat it out to a rough rectangular shape. Roll the dough up (not tightly) into a small baton shape. The dough should stick to itself. Begin from the center of the dough piece and roll outwards under your palms, until the dough is about a 9” baton. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place seam-side-down. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
Cover the breadsticks with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until fat and puffy, 20-30 minutes.
Combine the egg and water in a small bowl; use a fork to mix together. Use a pastry brush to cover the breadsticks with the egg wash, then immediately sprinkle on the sesame seeds.
Place the breadsticks in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until they just begin to color. During this time mist the oven walls and floor with water about 3 times (avoiding the light bulb and burners). Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake 10 minutes longer, or until the breadsticks are golden brown, then place sheet of foil over the breadsticks to keep them from overbrowning. Bake 10 more minutes at 350°F or until the breadsticks sound hollow when tapped on the bottoms. Remove the breadsticks from the oven and let cool slightly.
Serve warm with salted butter, or as a side dish with hearty soups and stews, or a big plate of spaghetti with a side salad. These are also really good with a dipping bowl of olive oil sprinkled with Italian herb seasoning.
Notes
Hand-mixing and kneading method: To make the dough by hand, prepare and combine the yeast and lukewarm milk as directed above. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl. Using a large wooden spoon gradually beat the milk-yeast mixture into the flour mixture until soft dough forms that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the bread dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until the dough feels smooth and elastic, 7-10 minutes. Continue with proofing and shaping instructions as directed.Variations:Garlic-Parmesan: Bake the breadsticks with just the egg wash applied. Mix together 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt. Brush breadsticks with the mixture while they are still hot; sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. This makes awesome cheesy breadsticks! These are especially good dunked in pizza sauce or marinara.Everything Bagel Breadsticks: Swap out the sesame seeds for an equal amount of everything bagel seasoning. Be sure to tent the breadsticks with foil just after they turn golden brown so the everything bagel seasoning doesn’t overbrown. Avoid being heavy handed with the application –some everything bagel seasoning has coarse sea salt added to the mix – be a label reader!Soft(er) breadsticks: These breadsticks have a crisp exterior as a result of misting the oven walls with water during the first part of baking. If you prefer softer breadsticks, skip misting the oven walls with water. They’ll still have a browned exterior but very soft in their centers.Tips: If you don't have a kitchen-dedicated water bottle for misting, toss a few ice cubes in the bottom of the oven. They will melt and steam the breadsticks as they bake.I baked these using the electric range at my workshop, and they were near perfect at the designated baking time. On my home range, which is gas, these browned much more quickly. Be sure to check these breadsticks during the second bake at 350F. They will easily overbrown, and should be tented with foil to avoid an overbaked exterior.Freeze the shaped dough on a baking sheet, then transfer the unbaked breadsticks to a freezer bag. To make, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to thaw and puff at room temperature. Egg wash, garnish, and bake as directed.
Keyword active dry yeast, all purpose flour, eggwash, sesame seeds