How To Make Easy Greek Easter Bread Step By Step 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.

GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup water that is hot to the touch (about 110 degrees F) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently whisk in the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the flour and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cover with a towel and set aside until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the temperature of the room).
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles start to form around the edges, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, remaining sugar and salt. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Using the paddle attachment, stir the milk mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in the 2 beaten eggs. Gradually mix in the remaining flour, fennel seed and almond extract, and beat until a soft dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball, about 5 minutes (the dough will be sticky).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is as smooth as a baby's bottom, about 5 minutes.
• Put in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Place the dough on the surface and cut into three equal parts. Gently roll out each piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Line a wide-lipped cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the ropes to the prepared sheet. Press the ropes together at one end and braid loosely. Arrange the braid in a circle. Press the ends of the dough together. Gently stretch the circle to make it 10 inches across and the hole in the middle 3 1/2 inches across. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Rub the eggs with a little vegetable oil, and then buff with a paper towel. Gently press the eggs into the dough, evenly spaced. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bread with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until the loaf is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes. Cool about 30 minutes before slicing.

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.

GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups flour and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Stir milk, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan; heat and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and the temperature is between 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) to 100 degrees F (37 degrees C).
• Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, add eggs, and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes more. Add 1 cup flour and 3 tablespoons orange juice to the mixture; mix on high for 3 minutes more.
• Fit the mixer with a dough hook. Add remaining flour to the mixture; beat with dough hook until the flour is completely incorporated.
• Grease a glass bowl. Put dough into the bowl. Let dough rise until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Punch dough down. Divide the dough into two halves. Split each half into three even pieces, roll each piece into a cylinder, and braid into loaves. Put loaves onto a baking sheet. Let rise, about 1 hour.
• Bake in preheated oven until the middle is baked, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Stir confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon orange juice together in a bowl; brush onto the tops of the loaves.