Easter isn’t complete without a freshly made loaf of Tsoureki made by our Yiayia, it’s been a while since Yiayia made the family tsoureki, and living so far away can be hard for her to delivery a fresh baked loaf. So it was time for us to step up and start baking. We have added some sweet cherries for some colour and sour flavour, you can omit the cherries if you like. Are you keen to make this recipe at home? Please share your photo with us hasgtag #helenaandvikki to show us your creation.
H&V
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Ingredients
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons dried yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoon good quality Greek honey (we used Vasilissa forest honey with saffron)
50g unsalted butter, melted
2 yolks
1 egg
2 1/4 cups plain flour, extra for kneading
1 teaspoon salt
6 mastic tears
Sour cherries
2 cups frozen cherries, thawed
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup caster sugar
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C. Combine milk, yeast and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl; set aside for 10 minutes or until foamy. In a stand mixer; using a dough hook; combine yeast mixture, remaining sugar, honey, butter, egg yolks and egg; mix on low to combine. Add flour, salt and mastic; knead in mixer on low speed to begin then increase speed to medium or knead by hand for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic and doesn’t stick to the bowl.
- Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Knock back the dough then turn out onto a floured surface; knead for 2 minutes. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Cut the dough in half, and roll the dough into logs, using a sharp knife cut in the middle and place some of the cherries all the way down the dough. repeat this again. Grab both logs and form a swirl, or you can make a plaited loaf. Brush some whisked egg whites over the sweet breads.
- Place the sweet bread on the tray and place into a warm spot and rest until risen (1 hour).
- Place into the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes.
H & V xx
