Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)
Apr 26th, 2008 | By Peter Minakis | Category: Baking, Bread, Easter, Greek, Greek Traditions
Today is “Megalo Savato” or Great Saturday in the Greek-Orthoodox calendar. Yesterday and today are filled with church services and lots of preparation for the festivities tomorrow.
I’m at ease knowing that Easter Sunday will greet us with mild, sunny temperatures…perfect for Greeks who enjoy the outdoors. Greek Easter Sunday is meant to be spent outdoors.
Before I get on to the Tsoureki, I’d like to thank all of you who left your kind words and thoughts on my previous post about the potato salad and on my getting in print in Greek media. It meant a lot!
On to the Tsoureki, every Greek household will have this Greek Easter bread as part of the table. As I’ve seen it described by others, it has the consistency of a Brioche or even a Challah bread but make no mistake…the similarity begins and ends with the texture. I find Tsoureki to be way more flavourful.
I’ve tried many a Tsoureki as it’s also customary to give and receive a Tsoureki amongst family and friends. From this custom, I’ve tasted many Tsourekia but I like mine to be slightly sweet, aromatic from the citrus, mastic and mahlepi.
This recipe does read like an army-sized one but again, it’s customary to give loaves of Tsoureki to family & friends. Easter is not complete in our household until the aroma of the Tsoureki baking in the oven permeates the whole home. Yesterday it was church incense, today was the heavenly aroma of Tsoureki, tomorrow it will be lamb on the spit!
Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)
1 lb. room temp. unsalted butter
4 cups of whole milk
5 cups of sugar
28 cups of all purpose sifted flour
12 eggs, very well beaten
2 Tbsp. of ground Mahlepi
1 Tbsp. of ground Mastic
zest of 1 lemon
zest and juice of 1 large orange
3 heaping Tbsp. of active dry yeast some warm water
- In a large pot, add the butter, sugar (28 cups) and milk and simmer over a low heat until the 3 ingredients are incorporated. Add the zest of the lemon and orange and the orange juice. Set aside and keep warm.
- In another bowl, add two cups of tepid water, about a Tbsp. of sugar and yeast and allow the yeast to activate and rise.
- In another large bowl, add the sifted flour, Mahlepi and Mastic and reserve.
- In another bowl, beat your eggs and add them to the milk & butter mixture and then add the yeast mixture as well.
- Now add wet to dry ingredients. Dust your work surface with flour and knead your dough into a very soft ball and place in a large bowl. Treat the top of your ball with some vegetable oil and cover with plastic wrap. Allow your dough to to double in a warm spot or a pre-heated oven.
- Once the dough has doubled, push the dough again and allow to rise again.
- Grab three handfuls of dough and roll them into 3 equal-lenght strips of dough, this will make one braided loaf of Tsoureki. You may choose to make a long braided loaf or a round braided loaf (as in the photo).
- Create a braid with 3 strips of dough and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Allow enough spacing between each loaf that’s equal to the width of the loaf (the loaf will expand again). Allow for the loaves to double in size. Repeat steps 7 & 8 to form your remaining Tsourekia.
- Using an egg and milk wash, brush the tops of your Tsourekia and sprinkle sesame seeds or slivered almonds.
- Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 40-45 minutes and allow to cool.
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Have a wonderful Easter with your family Peter:D
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I don’t think I’m familiar with Mahlepi or Mastic, but the bread looks excellent. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
Reminds me of the Easter bread in Calabria (southern Italy) called cuzzupa…always YUM
Beautiful Easter bread, Peter! You did a wonderful job with it.
I’m wishing you a very happy Easter. I hope you have a wonderful time with your family celebration.
Ευτυχισμένο το Πάσχα!
(I hope this is right. I used Google’s translator. If it is something obscene, blame them!)
This is what I started off my morning with – another orund of tsourekia! KALO PASKA!
Some new spices! That bread id lovely. Have a good Easter.
Happy Happy Easter, Peter!
I’ve so enjoyed reading all your posts on the week before your Easter. And the food. Oh the food!
Love this blog and hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend.
Mary
Looks lovly! I love sesame seeds on my bread. I’m not much of a bread baker but I would love to be some day. Those eggs are so vibrant.
Hope you have a great Easter. That bread looks wonderful Peter!
Nice looking bread and red eggs! That recipe does sound like it would make enough for an army!
The Mahlepi and Mastic sound interesting.
A fantastic looking loaf of bread. Happy Easter!
Wow, Peter, it looks gorgeous. I particularly like the red eggs.
It sounds like you’ll be having a wonderful traditional meal filled with lots of great food. What a lovely bread.
Happy Easter!
i’m not sure about the nuclear eggs – but the bread sounds amazing. i doubt i could find those 2 spices here though. but i’d love to give this a whirl…
That looks great! I can’t wait to see/hear about your Easter.
in indonesia (maybe it’s a chinese thing) we give out a box of food which include a red egg just like these to celebrate a baby turning 1 mth old ^_^
XRONIA POLLA and congratulations on the Skai piece! Your tsoureki and lamb look fab. I am still digesting mine….
So pretty Peter! It has a slight similarity to our Monas! Enjoy it with your family and a warm sunny day
It’s so pretty, Peter! Happy Easter to you and yours, my friend.
[...] is also used in Greek cuisine in breads (my family includes Mastic in our Greek Easter bread called Tsoureki), cakes, desserts and some savoury dishes as well. The mastic tears are ground and then [...]
[...] readers have made my family’s version of Tsoureki with success. It’s light, fluffy and very flavourful. The aroma of this bread is dreamy and I often have [...]
wow~ this is some amazing looking food. i love the presentation of it. i hope that it was a wonderful easter, as im sure it was by the looks of the yummy foods.