Mediterranean🍞 Bread & bakery

Greek Easter Bread: Sweet Tsoureki

Name: Greek Easter Bread: Sweet Tsoureki
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: ½ cup lukewarm milk (for starter); 1 tbsp active dry yeast; 1 tsp granulated sugar (for starter); 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or bread flour (for starter); 720 g all-purpose flour or bread flour; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 tbsp ground mahlepi seeds; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp mastic gum (mastikha) ground with sugar; ¾ cups lukewarm milk; 2 eggs (lukewarm); ~2 tsp orange zest; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 4 oz unsalted butter (soft); 1-2 egg yolk (for egg wash); to taste whole milk (for egg wash)

🍽 Serves 2

A traditional Greek Easter bread that is fluffy, rich, and aromatic. This enriched yeast dough features mahlepi and mastic gum for authentic flavor, is braided for an elegant presentation, and benefits from an overnight rise for convenience.

Adapted from a video by Dimitra's Dishes

Greek Easter Bread: Sweet Tsoureki (Updated)

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

lukewarm milk (for starter)½ cup
active dry yeast1 tbsp
granulated sugar (for starter)1 tsp
all-purpose flour or bread flour (for starter)2 tbsp
all-purpose flour or bread flour720 g
granulated sugar1 cup
ground mahlepi seeds1 tbsp
salt½ tsp
mastic gum (mastikha) ground with sugar¼ tsp
lukewarm milk¾ cups

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1
Create the yeast starter by combining lukewarm milk, active dry yeast, a teaspoon of sugar, and flour in a bowl. Whisk lightly and set aside. The mixture should develop a foamy cloud on top when the yeast is active and ready.
2
While the starter activates, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, ground mahlepi seeds, salt, and mastic gum with sugar. Whisk to blend thoroughly.
3
Prepare the wet ingredients: warm milk, lukewarm eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk together.
4
In the mixer, combine all dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and the activated yeast starter. Add soft unsalted butter. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes if using bread flour, or up to 15 minutes if using all-purpose flour. If the mixer struggles, transfer to hand-kneading.
5
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise overnight using the warm pot method: place a plate over a pot of hot (but not boiling) water, turn off heat, and place the covered dough on top. The dough will double in size by morning.
6
Once doubled, divide the dough into two equal portions. Cut each portion into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long.
7
Braid the three ropes together tightly. Transfer each braid to a parchment-lined baking tray, loosely cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy (but not until doubled).
8
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make an egg wash by beating egg yolk with an equal amount of whole milk. Brush the egg wash all over each braided loaf.
9
Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes until golden mahogany color. Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature so steam settles and the bread finishes cooking gently.
10
Serve warm with coffee. The bread is now ready to enjoy or give as gifts. Optionally, a dyed Easter egg can be placed in the dough during braiding.

Greek Easter Bread: Sweet Tsoureki

Ingredients

Steps

More like this