Make a sweet Greek bread
To ensure you have an authentic Greek Easter this year, one should make Tsoureki (sweet bread).
In Greece this bread is served at every table on Easter.
Ingredients:
n One cup of milk.
n Five cups of flour, divided.
n Three quarters of a cup of sugar.
n One and a half tablespoons of yeast.
n Three eggs and one egg yolk.
n One teaspoon of salt.
n Half a cup of softened butter.
n Two tablespoons of orange juice.
n Two teaspoons of orange zest.
n Two teaspoons of vanilla.
n Eight dyed hard-boiled eggs.
What to do:
Heat the milk to a very warm temperature and pour into an electric mixer bowl. Whisk in one and a half cups of flour, the sugar and yeast until well mixed. Detach from mixer and cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place until bubbly for approximately 30 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time to the mixture. Add another cup of flour, the orange zest and salt. Add the softened butter, vanilla and the orange juice and mix well, then gradually add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough, kneading until smooth.
Coat a bowl with vegetable oil and turn dough, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise in a clean, draft-free place, until the dough doubles in size, this takes approximately an hour and a half.
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a large baking sheet with oven proof wax paper.
To braid the dough, divide the dough into thirds, roll each third into a long rope, braid those ropes, then twist the whole braid into a ring.
Tuck the dyed hard-boiled eggs, wide or heavy side down between the strands of the braid, at even intervals.
Mix egg yolk with one tablespoon of water and brush the loaves with the egg mixture and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 150 degrees Celsius and bake for about 20 minutes more or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool for five minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Also read: Easter fun at Carnival City
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