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Greek Easter Bread - Tsoureki

This Tsoureki is a Traditional Greek Sweet Yeast Bread that represent the Holy Trinity through the three-part braid of the bread. Include some decorated hard-boiled eggs to decorate! 

Recipe by: Chef Jeff Simonetta

Difficulty Easy
Prep Time 90 mins
Cook Time 45–50 mins
Serves 8–10 people
Greek Easter Bread - Tsoureki

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • ½ tbsp mahlab
  • ½ tbsp orange Zest
  • ¾ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • For the egg wash
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp water

Directions

  1. 01

    Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, mahlab, and orange zest together in a large bowl until evenly combined.

  2. 02

    Add the melted butter, eggs, and warm milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until a sticky dough forms.

  3. 03

    Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic.

  4. 04

    Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

  5. 05

    Punch down the dough and divide it into three equal parts.

  6. 06

    Roll each part into a long rope and braid them together.

  7. 07

    Place the braided dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise for another 30 minutes.

  8. 08

    Preheat your oven to 180°C/356F.

  9. 09

    Beat together the egg and water to make the egg wash. Brush the surface of the bread with the egg wash.

  10. 10

    Bake the bread in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

  11. 11

    Let the bread cool on a wire rack before serving.

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • Red onion skins (for red dye)
  • Turmeric (for yellow dye)
  • Spinach or parsley (for green dye)
  • Water
  • White vinegar (optional, helps intensify colours)

Directions

  1. 01
    Prepare the dye

    In separate pots, add water and the respective dye materials. Use red onion skins for red dye, turmeric for yellow dye, and spinach or parsley for green dye. You can adjust the amount of dye material based on your desired colour intensity. Optionally, add a splash of white vinegar to each pot to help intensify the colours.

  2. 02
    Boil the dye

    Bring each pot of dye mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. This allows the colour to develop fully.

  3. 03
    Boil the eggs

    While the dye is simmering, hard-boil the eggs in a separate pot of water. Once cooked, let them cool and peel off the shells.

  4. 04
    Dye the eggs

    Carefully place the peeled hard-boiled eggs into the pots with the dye mixtures. Let them simmer in the dye for at least 10-15 minutes, or until the desired colour intensity is achieved. For deeper colours, you can leave them in the dye for longer.

  5. 05
    Remove and dry

    Using a slotted spoon, remove the dyed eggs from the pots and place them on a paper towel to dry. Allow them to air dry completely before handling them further.

  6. 06
    Use in Greek Easter bread

    Once dry, you can use these beautifully dyed eggs to decorate and bake Greek Easter bread according to your preferred recipe.

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