Vasilopita New Years Sweet Bread Greek Panetonne Recipes

VASILOPITA (GREEK NEW YEAR'S BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in one cup of warmed milk with one teaspoon sugar. Allow to double in volume for 10-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together 7 cups of flour, the salt, and the 3/4 cups sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. When the yeast has finished doubling, add to the well in flour mixture, as well as olive oil, 4 beaten eggs, the rest of the milk, and the orange zest.
• Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth.
• Turn dough out on a well floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky.
• Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the top. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Punch dough down and divide into two portions. Knead each for a few minutes and place in two well-oiled 9-inch circular pans. Allow to rise until doubled in size for about one hour in a warm place.
• Using a very sharp knife or clean razor blade, carve decorative patterns into the top of each loaf, such as with lines radiating out from the center.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each loaf with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes or until the tops of each loaf turn a deep chestnut brown.
• Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack after removing it. At this point, you can insert a clean coin into the bottom of the loaf using a toothpick or skinny knife to push it in.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

VASILOPITA: NEW YEAR'S SWEET BREAD (GREEK PANETONNE)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a tabletop mixer combine the milk, yeast, sugar, and flour together. Let it sit for 10 minutes until the yeast is activated. A cloud will appear over the top of the mixture as soon as the yeast is activated.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the orange zest and ground mahlab and mix well.
• Add the eggs, remaining sugar and vanilla extract to the sponge mixture.
• Add the flour mixture. Knead for 15 minutes.
• Add the softened butter and knead until it is all incorporated into the dough. Add the dried fruit, if using and knead until it's all incorporated.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 2 hours to rise until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees °F. 180 °C.
• Grease and line a 10 inch round by 3 inch deep baking pan with parchment paper.
• Punch down the dough to release the air and transfer it to the prepared baking pan.
• Cover a coin with aluminum foil and place it inside the cake. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap.
• Set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
• Brush with egg wash and top with sesame seeds or sliced almonds.
• Bake for 1 hour or until it becomes a deep mahogany color on top and the center is cooked. You may check by inserting a toothpick in the center.
• Allow to cool completely. About an hour.
• Remove from pan and dust with confectioner's sugar.
• Kali Orexi and Happy New Year!!

VASILOPITA (ORANGE SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• Mix orange juice, water, and cinnamon in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until the mixture registers 110 degrees F (43 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir yeast into the orange juice mixture. Let stand until yeast is creamy and frothy, about 45 minutes.
• Combine sugar and margarine in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until creamy. Add eggs; beat on high speed for 30 seconds. Mix in yeast mixture and orange zest until well combined.
• Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add gradually to the mixture in the stand mixer, mixing with a bread hook until a soft, sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a large glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 round cake pans.
• Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Put 1 wrapped coin in each piece; knead for 2 to 3 minutes and shape into a ball. Place 1 ball of dough in each cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise until puffy, 2 to 4 hours more.
• Whisk egg white and vanilla together in a small bowl. Brush over the top of dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 30 to 55 minutes.

VASILOPITA (NEW YEAR BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the milk.
• Add remainder of milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar.
• Sift 3 cups flour, salt and spices into a warm bowl and make a wellin the centre.
• Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour, gradually adding warm melted butter.
• Mix dough with hands until it comes away from sides.
• Turn on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining flour as required.
• Knead for 10 minutes.
• Place ball of dough in a clean bowl brushed with melted butter.
• Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap.
• Leave to prove (rise) in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
• Punch down and turn on to lightly floured surface.
• Knead lightly and shape into a round loaf.
• Place on a large greased baking sheet or in a greased 10 inch deep cake tin.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Glaze with well-beaten egg and arrange blanched almonds in numbers to denote the New Year, pressing in lightly.
• Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested.
• If bread browns too quickly place a piece of greased brown paper on top.
• Cool on a wire rack.

VASILOPITA (GREEK NEW YEAR'S BREAD)

Steps:

• Add the sugar, baking powder, olive oil, 1 cup of the grated cheese, and water to the large bowl of a stand mixer attached with a whisk. Whisk on low speed to combine.
• Remove the whisk and add the hook attachment to the stand mixer.
• Over medium-low speed, add the flour, one cup at a time. Knead for about 5 minutes or until you have a workable dough (it will be somewhat wet still).
• Cover the dough with a towel and set aside for now.
• Make the cinnamon mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cinnamon, sugar, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.
• Prepare and lightly grease the bottom of a 10-inch round springform pan.
• Divide the dough into 11 equal size portions and form them into balls (you may need to flour your hands or a clean surface to help you shape the dough without sticking too much).
• On a clean lightly floured surface, working with one ball of dough at a time, use a rolling pin and roll out the dough to a thin 10-inch round. Place the first round of dough on the bottom of the prepared pan. Brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon mixture and follow with a generous sprinkle of grated romano cheese.
• Repeat with two more layers of dough. If you're adding the coin for good luck, wash it well and dry it then wrap it in a piece of foil and place it on top of layer of dough you just laid down.
• Continue shaping the dough balls into 10-inch rounds and layering the dough rounds on top of each other in the pan, making sure to brush each layer with the melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture and grated cheese until the very last layer.
• Lay the last layer of dough on the very top. Combine the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of water (or milk) and whisk. Brush the last layer of dough with a little melted butter and the egg wash. Finish with a sprinkle of the sesame seeds.
• Heat the the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the vasilopita is a rich golden-brown. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before moving it from the baking pan to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.