How To Make The Best Tsoureki Bread

Learn How To Make The Best Tsoureki Bread easily at home with common ingredients. This traditional Greek Easter Bread is the easiest one and the most delicious of all. It can be served at breakfast with jam or whatever you prefer. You can add to the bread some optional toppings that give more flavorful taste to this bread!

This Tsoureki recipe is absolutely the tastiest one, so try to no miss out the recipe and do it for your family.

So, give it a try and impress your beloved ones they will fall in love with it!

Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

For the starter:

• 1/2 cup of milk, lukewarm
• 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

The other Ingredients:

•  720 grams of bread flour
• 1 cup (240 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of ground mahlepi
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt ​
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground mastic gum (optional)
• 3/4 cup (177 ml) of lukewarm milk
• 2 large eggs,
• beaten zest of an orange
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 2 ounces of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature ​

 The egg wash:

• 2 egg yolks plus 2-4 tablespoons milk

Optional Fillings:

• dried cranberries, raisins, chopped nuts, candied fruit, ground cardamom, vanilla or almond extract

How to make The Best Tsoureki Bread:

1. In a large bowl, combine the starter ingredients together in the bowl of a tabletop mixer. Whisk and set aside for 10 about minutes to activate the yeast.
2. ​In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, orange zest, salt, mahlepi, and mastic gum together. Mix well until nicely combined. ​Once the yeast is activated, add all of the remaining ingredients to the mixer’s bowl. Turn the mixer on low and knead for about 8 minutes.
3. Then, add the softened butter and increase the speed to medium and knead for 2 about minutes. ​Place some oil in the bottom of a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Toss around to coat and form a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume. About 1 to 2 hours. ​
4. Once the dough is raised, punch down the dough to remove the air. Cut into 2 equal portions. Cut each portion in thirds. ​Roll each portion into about 13 inch long ropes. ​Form the 3 ropes into a braid and do the same with the remaining three ropes to shape 2 loaves of brioche.
5. Then, place both braided loaves onto a baking tray (18 by 13 inch) lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap or with a clean towel. ​Set aside for about 30-40 minutes or until puffy. They should not double in size this time.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C. ​Brush the tops of the brioche dough with the egg wash. Optional: Place a hard-boiled, dyed egg in the braids or top with sliced almonds. ​Bake in the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes. ​
7. Remove from the oven and cool at least 30 minutes before serving. ​Once baked and cooled, the bread can be frozen up to a month. ​

Enjoy your homemade Tsoureki Bread!