1. Mix the lukewarm water with the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Crumble in the yeast and mix with the water until completely dissolved. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the lukewarm milk, oil, yogurt, egg whites, and salt to the bowl and mix until well combined. Gradually add the flour (I used just under 28 oz), mix in and then knead for about 8 minutes until you get a soft (and quite sticky) dough. It should have developed some gluten and come off the sides of the bowl at the end of the kneading time. Shape the dough into a ball with lightly oiled hands (this makes the dough easier to handle) and then let rise in an oiled bowl, covered in a warm place for about 1 hour.

3. Roll out the dough on a lightly oiled work surface into a rectangle (about 20×16 inches/50x40cm). Spread about half of the soft butter on the dough – works well with a rubber spatula or your fingers. Fold one of the long sides towards the center of the rectangle. Spread some more butter on the “unbuttered” area, then fold the other long side towards the center as well on top of the two layers to create a long strip of dough with three layers. Press everything down a bit and stretch it so the strip gets a bit wider (not longer). Spread the remaining butter on top and fold one last time – this time you fold the opposite way. Now you should have somewhat of a square in front of you (almost). If you see a long sausage you folded the wrong way ;)

4. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Cut the dough into 8 strips and twist each strip – it should look like a twisted cord. Connect the ends (fold one end over the other) to create a circle similar to a bagel. Place with enough space in between (max. 4 per tray) on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure that the opening in the middle of each ring is not too small, otherwise, it will close during the second rising and the baking process. Cover with some plastic wrap or damp kitchen towels and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Mix the egg yolk with some milk and carefully brush the risen dough rings with it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or black cumin and bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown. If you bake both baking sheets at once, you should change the positions of the baking sheets halfway through. You could also bake at a slightly reduced temperature in a convection oven. Remove from the oven and let cool down on a wire rack. The bread is great as a side for many dishes, for a bbq, or can you simply serve it with a variety of dips and spreads.