Gaolu Sesame Flatbread (High-Oven Baked Flatbread)
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, this classic Chinese flatbread is baked in a traditional high oven, creating flaky layers and a rich sesame aroma – an irresistible street food.
Ingredients
7 items- All-purpose flour 500g
- Warm water 250ml
- Active dry yeast 5g
- Granulated sugar 15g
- Salt 5g
- Cooking oil 60g
- White sesame seeds 30g
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
In a large bowl, mix together flour, yeast, sugar and 3g salt. Slowly pour in warm water, stir with chopsticks to form flocculent. Add 15g oil, knead into a smooth dough. Cover with damp cloth and ferment in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled.
In a small bowl, combine 40g flour and 2g salt for the oil pastry. Heat 45g oil in a pan until it shimmers (about 180°C), then pour into the flour mixture and stir quickly to form a fluid paste. Set aside.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, knead briefly to deflate. Roll into a log and divide into 8 equal pieces. Round each piece, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes.
Take one piece and flatten into a disc, roll to a round with thick center and thin edges. Place a spoonful of oil pastry in the center, pinch the edges to seal, and turn seam-side down.
Roll the filled dough into an oval shape (about 20cm long). Roll it up from one end into a tight cylinder. Turn it upright, flatten, and roll out again into a long strip, then roll up once more. Repeat this rolling and rolling twice to create layers.
Place the final roll upright, flatten gently with hand, and roll into a round disc about 8cm in diameter. Be careful not to roll too thin.
Brush the surface of each disc with sugar water (1 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp water). Press the wet side onto a plate of sesame seeds to coat evenly. Gently press to adhere. Cover with plastic wrap and proof for another 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Arrange the discs sesame-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the middle rack for about 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Let cool slightly before serving.
Tips
1. The oil pastry must be made with hot oil to remain fluid, which ensures good layering. 2. Placing a small pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven creates steam, giving a crispy crust with a soft interior. 3. Press sesame seeds firmly to prevent them falling off after baking. 4. Traditional high-oven bakers use a hanging oven, but a home oven can achieve similar results.
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