Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)

Tsoureki is a favorite Easter bread for Greek and non-Greek people alike; try this recipe for a unique holiday bread.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 474 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 4 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 1 cup chopped blanched almonds
• 8 cups unbleached bread flour, or more as needed
• 1 pound chopped dried apricots
• 1 tablespoon mahlepi
• 0.25 cup milk
• 0.5 cup slivered almonds
• 2.25 cups milk
• 0.25 cup sweet butter

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

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 3

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 4

Combine egg yolk and 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.

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.