Authentic Greek Easter Bread
This traditional Greek Easter Bread, known as Tsoureki, is a beautifully braided sweet loaf made with mahlepi, mastic, and orange zest. Soft, fluffy, and aromatic, it’s a beloved part of Greek Easter celebrations.
Ingredients
- 1 or 2.2 lbs kilo High-protein bread flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup milk room temp
- 3 eggs + 1 for topping large
- ⅔ cups butter melted
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 orange zest
- 5 grams mahlab crushed
- 7 mastix drops crushed
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ cup active dry yeast
- almonds optional
Instructions
- Add the 1 or 2.2 lbs kilo High-protein bread flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, 5 grams mahlab, 7 mastix drops, ⅛ cup active dry yeast, and 1 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 orange zest in the stand mixer bowl and mix for a few minutes.
- Pour in the 1 cup milk, ⅓ cup fresh orange juice, 3 eggs, and the ⅔ cups butter. Mix on medium–high speed for about 10 minutes, until the dough turns smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. This recipe makes two large loaves of bread.
- Preheat the oven to 170℃.
- Once the dough has risen, divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a long rope.
- Line each rope up vertically on your counter and pinch the top ends together to secure them.
- Move the right rope over the middle rope.
- Then move the left rope over the middle rope. Continue to alternate.
- Tuck both the top and bottom seams slightly underneath for a clean, rounded look.
- Lift gently from the center so it doesn’t stretch, then place it on the parchment paper that was layered on the tray for the final rise.
- Brush the bread with the whisked egg, and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Set the tsourekia aside to completely cool off.