Tsoureki

I just got over St. Patrick's Day.

Now, I'm onto Easter.

And, boy, am I on it good!

Specifically, I've been googling and pinteresting my way through a cultural Easter bread adventure.  It seems there's an Easter bread from every corner of Europe as well as a couple from other continents.

I've never really been much of a bread maker.  Eater, yes.  But maker, not so much.  I've done it, but the whole kneading and rising thing is not my thing.  I like instant gratification and bread just takes one too many hours.

However, that wasn't going to stop me from getting into a bread kind of mood when I saw so many different kinds of Easter bread to try.  In fact, some breads were made simultaneously.

This first bread is the Greek version.  Known as tsoureki, this loaf is dense and eggy with an deliciously  chewy crust.

This bread is mouthwatering and I can only assume the rest of this Easter Bread series will be just as sensational!





Tsoureki

1 cups milk, lukewarm
1 packages active dry yeast
4 cups flour
1 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp mahlepi
1/2 tsp mastic
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 tsp sugar
Red-dyed hard boiled eggs



Combine milk, yeast and sugar to a bowl.  Allow mixture to proof and look for small bubbles forming.

In a large mixer, combine butter, salt and sugar until light and fluffy.  Alternate adding the flour and yeast mixtures in small increments, mixing until thoroughly combined.  Stir in mahlepi, mastic, orange zest and vanilla extract.

Knead dough into a ball.  Place each loaf in a greased container covered with a towel.  Let rise for 1 hour.  Punch dough down and cut dough into two halves.  Set one aside.

Take dough and again divide, this time into thirds.  Roll out each piece into a long, thick rope.  The length and thickness depends on what design you want to shape your bread loaf into.

Place each rope next to each other and braid together.  Place a couple red hard-boiled eggs in the braid as you go.  Cover the dough with a towel and let rise for an additional hour.

Repeat with the second half of the dough mixture.

Preheat oven 425F.  

Mix the egg yolk and sugar in a bowl.  Brush over the top of each loaf.

Bake each loaf for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the top of each loaf is shiny and brown.