Tsoureki
Cypriot Easter Bread
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
- 60 g butter softened
- 75 g caster sugar
- pinch cinnamon
- pinch mastika
- pinch mechlebe
- handful sultanas
- 150 ml milk
- 1 orange zest of it
- 10 g salt
- 15 gyeast
- 150 ml warm water
- 3 eggs hardboiled in their shells with red food colouring
- 1 egg beaten, for eggwash
Instructions
- Put the flour into a large bowl, add all the other ingredients except the yeast, water and eggs and mix together briefly.
- Dilute the yeast in a little warm water and add to the mixture.
- Slowly add the remaining warm water, mixing it in as you do, until you have a soft dough consistency.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a pliable dough.
- Put the dough back in the bowl and leave to rest for 1 hour.
- Line a baking tray.
- Divide the dough into two and roll into strips.
- Plait the strips together, put on the baking tray and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Brush the top of the bread with eggwash and place the coloured eggs along the top of the bread.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
