Traditional Easter Bread
Koyloyra(Tsoureki) from Chania
Greek Easter bread-brioche is a sweet holiday bread
Ingredients:*
- 150 g Vitam (margarine) Soft (not the 'brick' one, but the one that comes in a plastic tub).
- 150 g sugar
- 150 g goat milk
- 50 g fresh yeast
- 2 eggs
- 500 g flour for tsoureki
For the spice mix*
Ingredients:
- 34 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon of Chios mastic
- 1 teaspoon of aniseed
- 1 teaspoon of coriander
- 1.5 teaspoons of mahlab
For the topping:
- 1 egg
- A little ouzo (a Greek alcoholic aniseed drink)
- A little sesame or some flaked almonds*
- 1 dyed egg
The recipe takes out one Traditional Easter Bread / Tsoureki from Chania, or one Tsoureki or two children's Tsoureki(Easter bread "hand'') and one small Tsoureki or two stuffed Tsoureki. For oll I made 4 batches of dough.
Instructions:
We add the flour, sugar, and spice mix and stir slightly at low speed.
We mix the yeast with the lukewarm milk until the yeast dissolves.
We add the eggs and the milk with the yeast to the flour and beat them slowly at first, then at high speed.
At first, it will look like a stiff dough, but, as we beat it, small pieces will start sticking to the sides of the bowl.
Then, we slowly add the lukewarm Vitam (margarine) at low speed.
Finally, we increase the mixer's speed and beat it for about 10 minutes until it starts to slightly pull away from the sides of the bowl and makes noise.
We cover it with plastic wrap and a cloth.
We leave it in a warm place to double in size.
The final mixing time depends on the moisture content of the flour, so pay attention to whether it pulls away from the bowl or makes a specific sound.
In order for the dough to rise, we can set the oven at a steady 40°C.
Once it has risen, we divide the dough into 3 or more parts.
We also keep a small piece of dough for the end, to wrap around the dyed egg.
We shape the bread and start braiding.
We place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
We make a small surface hole where the dough is joined and place the dyed egg.
We shape the small dough ball like a cookie and wrap it around the egg.
We let the bread double again in a warm place.
Finally, we brush it with the egg and ouzo.
We add the sesame seeds and the flaked almonds.
We place it in the oven. In a moderately preheated oven for about 35–40 minutes
It is ready when we press it lightly with our finger, and it springs back.
Be careful, do not open the oven until it starts to turn golden brown, because it may deflate.
Tsoureki
Stuffed Tsoureki
If we want, we can add any filling we like inside the bread.
From Greek delight to Merenda and chocolate. Add whatever you like
For the children's Easter bread "hand".
We shape the dough into the shape of a hand.
We form the fingers.
We place a dyed egg just like in the regular Easter bread.
With scissors, we make small cuts on the surface of the dough.
We complete the process just like with the regular Easter bread
For the spice mix
We place them on a piece of baking paper.
We fold the baking paper and press the spices with a rolling pin for them to crush.
We don't put them in the blender because it may scratch the bowl
For the topping:
We place an egg in a small bowl and beat it well.
We add the ouzo and continue beating.
*The dough requires a powerful mixer. If we don't have one, we knead it by hand as much as possible, and in the end, we add two pinches of flour to knead it better. This will make the dough slightly firmer, but it will be fine.
*You can add any spices you like. Even orange zest with mahlab and vanilla or cardamom. Whatever you like.
*If desired, we add sesame, flaked almonds, both, or another type of nut.
*All ingredients should be at room temperature.