Description
A traditional Greek sweet bread, Tsoureki is typically made during Easter celebrations, featuring a unique texture and flavor enhanced by spices like masticha and mahleb.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground masticha (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground mahleb (optional)
- 1/2 cup red-dyed egg (optional for decoration)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, melted butter, and eggs. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the yeast mixture to the egg mixture and mix well.
- Gradually add flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide it into three equal parts. Roll each part into a strand and braid them together.
- Place the braided dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- If using red-dyed eggs, tuck them into the braid.
- Let the dough rise again for about 30 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can add a tablespoon of orange zest to the dough.
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before starting.
- The bread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 50mg