Tsoureki

An enriched braided bread that pulls apart in strands, risen three times and scented with two things nothing else uses.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg, dairy (butter), dairy (milk).

Ingredients

• 1 kg strong white flour
• 200 g caster sugar
• 200 g butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 300 ml warm milk
• 14 g fast-action yeast
• 2 teaspoons ground mahlepi
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mastic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk, to glaze
• 50 g flaked almonds

Method

1. IT RISES THREE TIMES AND THE THIRD IS THE ONE THAT MAKES THE STRANDS. A heavily enriched dough -- this much butter, sugar and egg -- is slow and reluctant, and each rise develops the long gluten strings that let the finished loaf pull apart in threads rather than tear like cake. Cut to two rises it tastes the same and has the texture of a brioche.
2. THE MASTIC IS GROUND WITH SUGAR, NEVER ALONE. It is a resin and it gums up instantly into a sticky ball in a mortar on its own; a teaspoon of the sugar ground with it keeps the grains apart. And it is used sparingly -- half a teaspoon in a kilo of flour. More and the loaf tastes faintly of pine disinfectant, which is the commonest fault in a home-made one.
3. Yeast into the warm milk with a spoon of the sugar, 10 minutes until frothy.
4. Mastic ground with a teaspoon of sugar to a powder. Mixed with the mahlepi.
5. Flour, remaining sugar, salt and spices in a large bowl. Eggs, milk mixture and softened butter added.
6. Kneaded 15 minutes. It will be very sticky for the first ten and the temptation to add flour is strong -- DO NOT. Extra flour here is what makes it dry. It comes together.
7. FIRST RISE, covered, 2 hours, until doubled. Enriched dough is slow; a warm place helps.
8. Knocked back, kneaded 2 minutes. SECOND RISE, 1 hour.
9. Divided into three (or six for two loaves), each rolled into a rope about 40 cm, and braided from the middle outwards so both ends finish neatly.
10. THIRD RISE on the tray, covered, 1 hour 30 minutes, until visibly puffed and slow to spring back when pressed.
11. Glazed carefully with the yolk and milk -- a heavy hand deflates it at this point -- and almonds scattered over.
12. Baked at 170C for 35 to 40 minutes. Covered loosely with foil after 20 if it is browning fast; the sugar in it colours early.
13. Cooled completely on a rack before it is torn into. It keeps three days and makes exceptional toast afterwards.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Greece · All recipes