Tsoureki Greek Easter Sweet Bread Recipes

GREEK EASTER BREAD (TSOUREKI)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, add the milk, water, sugar, and half the amount of butter (100 grams).
• Warm up the mixture over medium heat by whisking constantly. Remove from heat, once the butter and sugar have dissolved completely.
• Add the yeast (make sure the mixture is under 60° C before doing so), the vanilla extract, the orange zest, and the mahleb powder. Whisk until fully combined.
• Pour the mixture into the mixer's bowl, along with half the amount of flour.
• Beat over medium speed for 2 minutes (with the mixer's dough hook attached on).
• Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
• Add the remaining flour slowly.
• Once the dough is fully combined remove it from the mixer. It should all come out in one piece. Otherwise, add a bit more flour.
• Add the dough to a large mixing bowl and cove the bowl r with a dampened kitchen towel.
• Let the dough rest at room temperature for a few hours until it doubles in size. It takes about 2-3 hours at an average temperature of 20 to 25 ° C.
• Take the dough and press it down with your hand to remove the air.
• Melt the remaining 100 grams of butter and wait until it cools down a bit. Then start to pour the butter to the dough (small bits at a time) while kneading.
• Continue kneading until all the butter is incorporated into the dough. It may look a lot but don't worry it will absorb it all. Just keep kneading. You will feel the dough become very soft and airy.
• Preheat oven to 50 ° C for 10 minutes. Add a small pan with some water at the bottom of the oven.
• Cover the dough with a tea towel. Turn off the oven and add the bowl with the dough in the oven. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Once the dough has doubled in size once more remove from the oven.
• Squeeze the dough to remove the air and cut it in half. Then cut each piece to either 2, 3 or 4 pieces. Depending on how many pieces you want your braid to be made of.
• On a lightly floured surface, shape each piece into a long cord. Pinch the desired number of cords together at one end. Start making the braid. Once you're finished, pinch the other end together as well. Tuck it under the braid to secure it.
• Transfer each Tsoureki on a large baking pan or your ovens tray covered with parchment paper.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg with the one tablespoon of water. Brush the Tsoureki with the egg wash and add some flaked almonds on top.
• Preheat oven to 50 ° C once more for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven. Add the Tsoureki and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• Remove the Tsoureki from the oven. Preheat the oven to 150 ° C / 302°F. Bake the Tsoureki for approximately 40-45 minutes. Preferably one Tsoureki at a time and without removing the pan with the water from the bottom of the oven.

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 RECIPE FOR A SWEET GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water (around 98 degrees) with a teaspoon of sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let bloom for 10 minutes. You should see bubbles and activity from the yeast. If you don't, then your yeast might be dead.
• Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the melted butter, malhepi, salt, vanilla, anise, yeast mixture, and milk, until they're combined really well.
• Switch out the paddle attachment on your mixer for the dough hook.
• Gradually beat in 5 cups of flour. If the dough is still very sticky at this point, add additional flour until it starts to pull away from the side of the bowl.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work in just enough of the remaining flour until a soft, not sticky, dough forms. Knead the dough by turning and pushing with the heel of your hand for 10 minutes (this will be a nice workout for you). The dough will become smooth and elastic.
• Grease a bowl with oil. Press the dough into the greased bowl and then turn the dough over so that both sides of it are greased.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm draft-free spot for about an hour and a half, or until it has doubled in size.
• Grease your baking pans or a cookie sheet, or line them with parchment paper.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
• Punch down the dough. Divide it into your desired portions. For 1 large 12 x 2 1/2-inch round pan, divide the dough into three equal portions. Roll each portion into a 30-inch rope. Braid the 3 ropes together, seal the ends, and form the braid into a circle. Gently lay the dough circle into the greased pan.
• For two braided loaves, divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 14-inch rope, keeping the strip thicker in the center and tapering at the ends. Braid 3 strips together and seal the ends. Gently lay each braid on a greased (or parchment-lined) baking sheet.
• Cover each loaf with a towel, and allow to rest in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the large loaf, or 1 to 1 1/2 hours for the smaller loaves, or until they have increased in size.
• ***To know if the dough has properly proofed, press it with your thumb or knuckle, if it springs back slowly and leaves a small indentation then it is proofed properly. If you springs back quickly, then it needs more time. If a deep groove remains, then it is over-proofed.
• Prepare the glaze by combining the egg with the milk. Brush the dough with the glaze. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds or slivered almonds.
• Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 45-55 minutes for the large loaf, and 30 to 35 minutes for the small loaves. Use a digital thermometer to make sure your bread is properly baked. Insert it halfway down into the center of the loaf. It should be 190ºF. Remove the bread immediately from the pans and allow to cool on a rack.
• The bread can be stored in plastic bags and frozen up to three months.

TSOUREKI (SWEET GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Heat milk and whisk in 1½ cups flour, sugar, and yeast.
• Cover with plastic and let stand for ~30 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Add another cup flour, orange zest, and salt. Then add butter, vanilla, and orange juice. Gradually add remaining flour, kneading until smooth.
• Coat a bowl with oil and roll dough in it to coat. Cover with plastic and let rise for 1½ hour. Preheat oven to 400.
• Make braids with the dough (2 loaves).
• Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Brush loaves with mixture.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

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.

TSOUREKI (TRADITIONAL GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 1 cup room temperature water and yeast; let stand until dissolved. Add flour, sugar, honey, orange zest, salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolks. Mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and stiff with a slight sheen, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead to make sure any loose bits are incorporated. Fold in the following manner: Fold the bottom third of the dough up, the top third down, and the right and left sides over, tapping the dough after each fold to release excess flour, and pressing down to seal. Gently gather the dough and flip it over, seam side down. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap (plastic wrap should be touching the surface of the dough), and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Brush an unrimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Return the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and divide into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 18-inch log, and place the logs parallel to one another; pinch the ends together at the top. Weave the three strands into a tight braid, tugging gently as you go. Press the ends together to seal. Place loaf on the prepared sheet. Loosely cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap. If baking bread without eggs, brush with egg wash and bake until loaf is deep golden, 40 to 50 minutes. Cover with foil if necessary. The bread should reach an internal temperature of 190 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and should produce a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. If inserting red eggs, bake bread 10 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully push 5 eggs, larger side down, into the center of the loaf, spacing them evenly down the length. Brush with egg wash and immediately return to oven and proceed with baking directions.

TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whisk on low speed to combine. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it registers 110 degrees. With mixer speed on medium-low, gradually add milk to mixer bowl, scraping down sides if necessary. Mix until combined. Remove bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until bubbling, about 30 minutes.
• Generously butter a large bowl; set aside. Return mixer bowl to stand and attach dough hook. Mix in lightly beaten eggs, in 3 additions, on medium speed. Add remaining all-purpose flour and salt and mix until incorporated. Add butter, orange zest and juice, and vanilla, mixing until combined. Gradually mix in 2 cups bread flour, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary; then add enough remaining bread flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the side of bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and mix until dough is very smooth, about 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball, place in buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until 1 1/2 times its original size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Line two 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Punch down dough. Cut dough in half with a large knife or bench scraper, then cut each half into 3 equal pieces. Keeping 3 pieces covered with plastic wrap, roll remaining 3 pieces into 16-inch-long ropes with your hands. (If dough becomes dry, lightly dampen your palms to help in rolling.) Loosely braid ropes together, pinch ends to seal, and place loaf diagonally on 1 baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining 3 pieces of dough. Loosely cover each loaf with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake bread 10 minutes. Remove 1 baking sheet from oven. Quickly and carefully push 5 eggs, larger side down, into the center of the loaf, spacing them evenly down the length. Brush with egg wash and immediately return to oven. Repeat with remaining loaf. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake, rotating baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 25 minutes more. (If necessary, cover with parchment-lined foil to prevent overbrowning.) Transfer bread to a wire rack; let cool completely.

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.

EASTER BREAD (TSOUREKI)

Steps:

• Place 5 or 6 eggs in a medium pot. Pour in cold water to cover by 1" and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover pot, and let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to a medium bowl of ice water; let cool completely.
• If desired, color eggs according to food-coloring package directions. Transfer eggs to paper towels to dry. DO AHEAD: Eggs can be dyed up to 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down dough. Divide into 3 equal pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 16"- long rope with tapered ends. (If dough begins to bounce back, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes to allow dough to relax.)
• Arrange ropes side by side lengthwise on prepared sheet. Pinch top ends together. Braid dough. Pinch bottom ends together to secure (braided loaf will be about 12" long). Tuck dyed eggs between braids, spacing evenly. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until puffed but not doubled in size, 45-50 minutes. Arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Whisk remaining egg with 2 teaspoons warm water in a small bowl. Avoiding dyed eggs, brush dough all over with egg wash. Bake until bread is golden and an instantread thermometer inserted into center of loaf registers 190°F, 20-25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let cool completely and store airtight at room temperature.