How-to guide
How to Make Khobz — Everyday Moroccan Round Bread
Khobz is the round, flattish daily bread of Morocco, on the table at almost every meal and used as much as a scoop and a fork as it is a side. It has a crisp crust and a soft, close crumb, and is traditionally shaped into discs and baked — historically carried to a communal wood-fired oven. Made with a blend of flour and fine semolina, it is straightforward home baking. This guide gives a dependable everyday loaf. Serve it to mop up sauces from our Moroccan dishes.
About 2 hours including proving
Step by step
- 1
Mix the dough
Combine plain flour with a good proportion of fine semolina, salt, a little sugar and yeast, then work in warm water to a soft but workable dough. The semolina gives khobz its slightly grainy bite and pale golden crumb. Add the water gradually so you can judge the consistency.
- 2
Knead until smooth
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for around ten minutes, until it is smooth, springy and no longer sticky. Good kneading develops the structure that gives the bread its soft, even crumb. It should spring back gently when pressed.
- 3
Shape into discs
Divide the dough and shape each piece into a smooth ball, then flatten it into a disc a couple of centimetres thick. Sit the discs on a floured tray or peel, well spaced. Traditionally each household's loaves were marked so they could be told apart at the shared oven.
- 4
Prove until risen
Cover the discs with a cloth and leave them somewhere warm to prove for around an hour, until they have visibly puffed and feel light. A good rise gives the finished bread its soft interior. They should look plumped and spring back slowly when touched.
- 5
Dock and bake
Prick the tops a few times with a fork to stop them doming too much, then bake in a hot oven, around 220C, until the crust is golden and firm and the bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath, roughly twenty minutes. A tray of water in the oven helps a good crust form.
- 6
Cool before cutting
Let the loaves cool on a rack for at least a few minutes before cutting, so the crumb sets. Khobz is usually torn or cut into wedges and used to scoop up tagine and salads. It is at its best the day it is baked.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Making the dough too dry, giving a dense, heavy loaf.
- Under-proving, so the bread bakes up tight and flat.
- Skipping the fork-docking, so the discs balloon unevenly.
- Baking at too low a heat, which dries the bread out before the crust colours.
- Cutting the loaf while still very hot, so the crumb tears and gums.
Tips from the kitchen
- A blend of flour and fine semolina gives the authentic khobz texture and colour.
- A tray of water in the oven creates steam for a crisper crust.
- Space the discs well apart so they bake evenly and the sides colour.
- Bake khobz the day you want to eat it; it stales quickly like most fresh bread.
- Day-old khobz is excellent toasted, or torn into a soup or salad.
Questions
What flour is khobz made from?
Usually a mix of plain wheat flour and fine semolina (durum). The semolina gives khobz its characteristic slightly grainy texture and pale golden crumb. Proportions vary from household to household; more semolina makes a denser, more rustic loaf, while more white flour gives a softer, lighter one.
Why is Moroccan bread flat and round?
Khobz is shaped into flattish discs partly by tradition and partly for practicality: the shape bakes quickly and evenly, and it is easy to tear into pieces for scooping food, which is how bread is used at the Moroccan table. Historically loaves were carried to a shared neighbourhood oven to bake.
How is khobz eaten?
It is the everyday table bread, used to scoop up tagines, dips and salads by hand, to soak up sauces, and to make simple sandwiches. There is bread at nearly every meal. Torn pieces double as an edible utensil, which is why the crust and sturdy crumb matter.
How long does khobz keep?
It is best the day it is baked and stales fairly quickly, like most fresh bread without preservatives. Keep it wrapped in a cloth or paper for a day or so. Slightly stale khobz is delicious toasted, griddled, or torn into soups such as harira and hearty salads.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.