Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)
This is a favorite bread of Greeks and non-Greeks. It is great even for another day besides Pasca. It works great as French toast as well. Not a diet bread though!
INGRIDIENT
DIRECTION
Step: 1
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.
Step: 2
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.
Step: 3
Combine egg yolk and 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.
Step: 4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step: 5
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.
Step: 6
Bake in the preheated oven until loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes.
NUTRITION FACT
Per Serving: 474 calories; protein 12.9g; carbohydrates 82.2g; fat 11.1g; cholesterol 70mg; sodium 62.9mg.
The quality of the flour can make a real difference to your bread. Different makers do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are bet higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal bread , which doesn’t always getting bigger as well as white bread.
To make this in a breadmaker , add all the menus to your breadmaker and follow the makers instructions.
A dough’s first rising can be make in the fridge overnight . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can work it yesterday , then clear it off the next day.
