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Honeycomb bread stuffed with cheese (Khaliat Nahl)

This traditional bread is so soft, fluffy and tender. Each bun is filled with a soft cheese, sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked until golden. Drenched in a warm saffron and honey syrup it is the perfect recipe for Eid or any occasion
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proof Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Brunch, Celebration, Finger food, High Tea, Snack, Sweet tooth, tea time
Cuisine levantine, Middle Eastern, Yemeni
Servings 20 ball buns

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Rubber spatula
  • Dough scraper
  • Sauce pot
  • 10 inch round tin
  • 4 inc round tin (optional)
  • Baking paper
  • Brush

Ingredients
  

Dough -

  • 1 and 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp instant yeast
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 5 cups all purpose flour + 1/2 cup more for rolling
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 20 pieces kiri cheese
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream for brushing
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds

Syrup -

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 6-8 saffron strands

Instructions
 

For the dough -

  • Pour the warm milk into a mixing bowl, add the yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and allow it to foam up, around 5-10 mins. Set aside.
  • Once frothy add the yogurt and stir well. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and melted butter. Stir until you have a sticky dough.
  • Cover and let it rise for 60 minutes or until doubled in volume.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, liberally flour your clean kitchen counter and bring the dough together to form a ball.

Assembly -

  • Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and line your baking tin by brushing with oil and place sheet of baking paper at the bottom. If you are making it a crescent shape as well, place the 4 inch round tin into the larger tin and set aside.
  • Cut the dough into 20 pieces. Unwrap your pieces of cheese and get ready to start filling the dough.
  • Flatten each piece of dough in your palm and add a piece of cheese into the middle, pinch the edges together and roll into a ball either between your palms or on the counter.
  • Place each dough ball into the empty space in the baking tin. Repeat the process until all the dough is done. pile them over each other as I have.
  • Cover the tin with cling film and allow it to rise for 10 minutes.
  • Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle over the sesame seeds, bake for 25-30 minutes or until the dough has risen, the top is golden and if you knock it, you will hear a hollow sound.

Make the syrup -

  • While the bread is baking make the syrup by placing all the ingredients in a sauce pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until it has reduced. Take off the heat and let it cool.

Finish the buns -

  • Once they are out of the oven you can pour over the cooled syrup while still in the tin. Let the cool down a little before removing from the tin. Serve with tea.

Notes

  • Check the pro tips above for more details.