Peloponnesian Tsoureki Braided Easter Bread Recipes

TSOUREKI RECIPE (TRADITIONAL GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• To prepare this tsoureki recipe (Greek Easter Bread), add in a bowl the lukewarm water, a pinch of sugar and yeast and stir. Wrap well with plastic wrap and set aside for about 6-7 minutes, until the yeast rises and starts bubbling. Be careful not do add hot water, as it will kill the yeast, nor cold, as it will take forever for the Greek Easter bread to rise. The water should be at the same temperature as your finger, so check it out sticking one finger in; you should feel no difference in temperature.
• Use a pestle or a blender to ground the masticha and mahlepi, along with a pinch of sugar and set aside. These aromatic spices will give Greek Easter bread its distinctive taste and amazing smell. But be careful not to add any more mastic than this tsoureki recipe calls for, as it will leave a slightly bitter taste to your Greek Easter bread.
• In a saucepan add the butter, sugar and milk. Place over very low heat and stir the mixture, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. The key is to melt the butter at very low heat, so that the temperature doesn't 'kill' the yeast. Remove the pan from the stove and check the temperature. The mixture should be lukewarm - the same temperature as your finger. If it is warmer, leave to cool down for a few minutes and check again.
• Pour the butter mixture in a large bowl and whisk in the eggs. Add the yeast mixture and whisk to combine.
• In the mixer's bowl add the flour, the ground mastic and mahlepi, orange zest and the butter-egg-yeast mixture from step 4. Using the dough hook mix at first at low speed, until the ingredients start to combine and then mix at medium-high speed for about 15 minutes, until the dough doesn't stick on the sides of the bowl. At this point the dough should be really soft, like seen in the picture and a little sticky. (Be careful not to add any more flour than this tsoureki recipe calls for, as the dough should be really soft and not firm).
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in a warm environment, until at least it doubles in size (about 3-4 hours). If the environment is cold, preheat the oven at 30C/85F, turn it off and place the bowl inside.
• Gently deflate the tsoureki dough with your hands and cut in 6 equal portions (three for each Greek Easter bread). Take one piece of the dough (do not flour the working surface!) and roll it a little with your hands. Hold with your hands from the edges and shake to stretch the dough into a rope. This technique will help the Greek Easter bread (tsoureki) form the characteristic stringy texture, as seen in the picture.
• Form the Greek Easter bread into a braid and transfer on a large baking tray layered with parchment paper. Repeat the same procedure with the second tsoureki. Let the Greek Easter bread rise for about 1 more hour at room temperature or in the oven, until it puffs up and almost doubles in size, like in the pictures.
• In a small bowl add the egg and 1 tbsp water and whisk with a fork. Brush the top of each Greek Easter bread with the egg, being careful not to deflate it, garnish with almond slivers and bake in preheated oven at 150C / 310F fan for about 30-40 minutes, until nicely browned and fluffy. If its getting too brown too quickly cover with some parchment paper and continue baking.
• Although the traditional tsoureki recipe doesn't call for syrup, garnishing Greek Easter bread with just a little syrup, always gives a little something! So it's up to you to decide! Prepare the syrup for the Greek Easter bread just right before you turn the tsoureki out of the oven. In a small pot add the sugar and water and bring to the boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove the pot from the stove and ladle the hot syrup over the hot tsoureki.
• Let the Greek Easter bread cool down and wrap well with plastic wrap, so that it doesn't become hard and dry. Store for up to a 5-6 days at room temperature or up to a couple of months in the freezer.

TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over low heat and warm to 112 degrees F (44 degrees C). Remove from heat. Stir in yeast and wait for mixture to bubble.
• Place flour in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, whole eggs, egg white, chopped almonds, apricots, orange zest and juice, lemon zest, and mahlepi. Mix together. Knead dough until well mixed, adding extra flour if necessary until dough is only slightly sticky. Set dough aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Combine egg yolk and 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Knead risen dough to expel bubbles and divide into 2 equal parts. Divide each half into 3 equal balls. Roll each ball into a rope about 18 inches long. Braid 3 ropes to make a loaf and tuck the ends underneath and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes to form a second loaf. Brush egg yolk mixture on top of each loaf and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Brush again with egg yolk mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes.

TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• Warm two cups of milk and place in a large bowl. Add the yeast, one cup of the flour, and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cover and proof for one hour.
• In a large bowl, combine seven cups of flour, the ground almonds, salt, remaining sugar, orange rind, aniseed or mahlepi and masticha (if using). Make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter and eggs. Work from the center outwards, bringing flour into the well, stirring the mixture until a dough begins to form.
• Dust a worksurface with a little of the remaining flour and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and doesn't stick to your hands, about 12 minutes.
• Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about two hours. Punch down dough.
• Divide into nine small balls and roll each into strips 10-12 inches long, and about 2 inches in diameter. Lay three strips side by side, pinching together at one end, and braid. Pinch together at the other end to hold the loaf intact.
• Optional: At this point you can press a red-dyed egg between the strips of the braid or just leave the braided loaf plain.
• Repeat the procedure to make the second and third loaves.
• Place the breads on parchment-lined baking sheets, covered, and let rise for two hours, or until doubled in bulk. While the braids are rising, preheat oven to 340F (170°C), placing rack in middle rack of oven.
• Beat together the egg yolk and remaining milk. Brush over tsoureki loaves and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. I check my breads after about 15 minutes as they do tend to colour quickly and drape them with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove and cool on racks.
• *The special red dye used by Greeks to dye Easter eggs, as well as the spices Mahlepi (Mahleb) and Masticha can be found at all good ethnic grocery stores and in the Penzeys Catalague.

YIA YIA'S TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Pour yeast into a small bowl; add warm water and 1/4 cup of flour. Stir, cover with two damp kitchen towels, and leave in a warm place until bubbly, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Combine butter, shortening, and mastic in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Stir milk and sugar together in another saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm. Remove from heat.
• Pour 2 cups flour into the butter mixture and stir well. Add salt, then stir in the yeast mixture. Add 2 more cups of flour and stir well. Stir in 3 beaten eggs. Slowly add the milk mixture and 1 cup of flour and stir well. Add the room-temperature water and the last cup of flour and stir until the dough is not sticky.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 20 minutes with lightly floured hands. Form dough into a ball. Cover with damp towels and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two baking sheets.
• Divide dough into two pieces and separate each piece into three strands. Braid each of the 3 strands together to form 2 braided loaves. Place on the baking sheets. Nestle the red-dyed eggs between the strands. Brush the dough with the remaining beaten egg. Sprinkle the tops with almonds and sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

BRAIDED GREEK SWEET BREAD (TSOUREKI)

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium low heat add the butter, the sugar and the milk. Cook for a few minutes, until the butter is melted. Add the zests, remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Add the orange juice.
• In a glass measuring cup, mix the warm water, the sugar and the yeast. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until it bubbles and the yeast is activated.
• Beat the three eggs and add them to the reserved butter/milk mixture.
• Sift the flour, mahlepi and mastic and place in the bowl of a stand mixer. To the dry ingredients, add the reserved butter/milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Mix to form a soft and pliable dough, adjusting the flour as necessary. Rub the surface with the oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for two hours.
• Punch the dough down and divide it into four equal portions. Divide each portion into three balls. Cover the rest and work with three balls at a time: Roll each ball into a 10"-12" long log. Pinch the top ends of the logs together and then braid the logs. When you get to the end, pinch the bottom ends together. Tuck the top and bottom ends underneath the dough. Place braided loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat steps with the remaining dough. Let the bread rise at room temperature for half an hour.
• Pre-heat oven to 350° F. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and milk. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds or sliced almonds. Bake (in batches) for 20-25 minutes. Allow the bread to cool completely before serving.

HOW TO MAKE EASY GREEK EASTER BREAD - STEP BY STEP

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium low heat add the butter, the sugar and the milk. Cook for a few minutes, until the butter is melted. Add the zests, remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Add the orange juice.
• In a glass measuring cup, mix the warm water, the sugar and the yeast. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until it bubbles and the yeast is activated.
• Beat the three eggs and add them to the reserved butter/milk mixture.
• Sift the flour, mahlepi (and mastic if using) and place in the bowl of a stand mixer. To the dry ingredients, add the reserved butter/milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Mix to form a soft and pliable dough, adjusting the flour as necessary. Rub the surface with the oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for two hours.
• Punch the dough down and divide it into four equal portions. Divide each portion into three balls. Cover the rest and work with three balls at a time: Roll each ball into a 10"-12" long log. Pinch the top ends of the logs together and then braid the logs. When you get to the end, pinch the bottom ends together. Tuck the top and bottom ends underneath the dough. Place braided loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat steps with the remaining dough. Let the bread rise at room temperature for an hour.
• Pre-heat oven to 350° F. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and milk. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds or sliced almonds. Bake (in batches) for 20-25 minutes. Allow the bread to cool completely before serving.

PELOPONNESIAN TSOUREKI (BRAIDED EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Warm the 2 cups of milk and place in a large bowl. Add the yeast, 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cover, and set aside in a warm place until the mixture becomes spongy, about 1 hour.
• In a large bowl combine the remaining 7 cups flour, the chopped almonds, salt, remaining sugar, orange rind and anise seed. Make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, olive oil and beaten eggs. Stir, working outward, until a dough forms.
• Dust a work surface with a little flour, and knead the dough, adding more flour if necessary, until it is smooth and doesn't stick to your fingers, about 12 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down. Divide into 6 small balls, and roll each into strips 12 to 15 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Lay 3 strips side by side, pinch them together at one end, and braid. Pinch the braids together at the other end to hold the loaf together. Press 2 dyed eggs between the strips of the braid.
• Repeat the procedure to make a second loaf. Place the loaves on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with the cloth, and let rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat together the egg yolk and the 2 tablespoons milk. Brush over each loaf, and sprinkle each with the slivered almonds. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. The loaves should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from the oven and cool on racks.