How To Make Greek Easter Bread

Greek history begins way past the starting of Christianity, but from the early days of Christian Faith, the Greek people have accepted Christian beliefs and now they are a big part of what is Greek heritage today. Easter is by far the largest celebration and feast for the people of the Greek Orthodox Faith. One great traditional food that is served during this time is, Easter Bread. It is a sweet yeast bread, also known as Tsoureki, made up of butter, milk and eggs. It also contains, mahlepi, the main flavor in the bread, which is a seed that is found within the stoned of the St. Luci Cherry, and is used as a spice in many other middle eastern foods. It has a cinnamon/nutty like taste. This bread is traditionally baked on Holy Thursday, and then feasted upon on Easter Sunday morning. It is a light bread, with a denseness that is very filling. The sweet bread served along with a nice cup of hot coffee is absolutely delicious!

 

Ingredients:

• 7 cups flour
• 3 quick rise yeast packets
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. mahlepi
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. lemon and orange zest
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup hot milk
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 red dyed hard-boiled egg

Egg Wash for bread

• 1 egg
• a few drops vanilla
• 1 tbsp. water

Note: All ingredients should be at least room temperature in order to help make the dough rise faster.

Preparation:

1. Pour flour in large mixing bowl, and make a hole in the center of it with your hands. This is where you will put the sugar, salt, mahlepi, and zest. Make sure that the mahlepi is grounded up into a fine powder, like the consistency of flour, before adding to the mixture. Now mix this all together with your hands. Then add the hot milk and mix this in with your hands as well. Once the mixture is formed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing in each one well. Next, add the yeast and water mixture. After this is done, the dough should appear stringy when stretched apart.
2. The next step is to pour the melted butter into the mixture, one handful at a time. Fold the butter into the dough, do not kneed it. Keep repeating this process until all the butter is used up. It’s okay if any butter is pooling around the edges, it will absorb into the dough as it rises.
3. Cover the dough while it is still in the bowl, with plastic wrap, so it is tucked down around it. Next, wrap the bowl in towels and keep it in a warm place where it will rise for the next 2 hours.
4. Next, separate the dough into four equal parts. Then separate each of the four parts into three separate sections. Roll each piece until it is about 14 inches long, and about as thick as your finger. Then braid 3 sections together, which will be one loaf of bread, you should end up with 4 braided sections. The three strand braid symbolized the Holy Trinity.
5. The next step is to take 4 round pans that have been lined with wax paper, and put one braid of dough into each pan, lining the rim of it. Cover each bowl with a towel and place them in a warm spot again for 30-45 mins for the dough to rise once again.
6. Once the braids of dough have risen, mix up the egg wash, and beat the three ingredients well together in a small bowl. Then brush each braid with this mixture, which will give the bread a nice shine once it is done.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake two pans at a time, for 30 minuets. Watch dough to make sure it does not get too brown, you can cover the top with foil until it is finished baking.
8. When the bread has finally cooled, cut a small circle in the center for the bread for the hard-boiled egg, which is dyed red to represent the color of life, as well as a symbol of renewal and victory over death. 

Now that this great traditional bread is finished, enjoy!

Image: SpiceRoots