Tsoureki (Greek Sweet Bread)
Tsoureki is a traditional Greek sweet bread, often made for holidays. This recipe yields a soft, slightly chewy loaf with aromatic notes of citrus and mahleb. It's perfect for breakfast or as a sweet snack.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 4 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Per serving
- 400 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, milk, nuts, and tree nuts. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
dough
- 500 gall-purpose flour
- 7 gactive dry yeast
- 100 ggranulated sugar
- 120 mlmilk, lukewarm
- 2 pcsegg, large, room temperature
- 75 gunsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsporange zest
- 0.5 tspmahleb, ground
- 0.5 tspsalt
egg wash
- 1 pcsegg yolk
- 1 tbspwater
garnish
- 2 tbspsliced almonds(optional)
Equipment
spatula · large bowl · wire rack · baking sheet · parchment paper · whisk
The method
Step by step
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, mahleb, and salt.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Ensure your yeast is fresh for good rise.
- 2
In a separate bowl, whisk the lukewarm milk, eggs, orange zest, and melted butter until well combined.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: The milk should be warm to the touch, but not hot, to activate the yeast without killing it.
- 3
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
About 3 min
- 4
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes, until it's smooth and elastic.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: The dough will be sticky at first; resist the urge to add too much extra flour.
- 5
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, then cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
About 1 min
- 6
Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
About 2 hr
Cook’s note: A slightly warm oven (turned off) or a sunny spot works well for rising.
- 7
Gently punch down the risen dough and divide it into three equal pieces.
About 1 min
- 8
Roll each piece into a long rope, about 18-20 inches (45-50 cm) long.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Try to keep the ropes uniform in thickness for even baking.
- 9
Braid the three ropes together, pinching the ends to seal them.
About 2 min
- 10
Carefully transfer the braided dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
About 1 min
- 11
Cover the tsoureki loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise again for 45-60 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
About 1 hr
- 12
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
About 15 min
- 13
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with water to create an egg wash.
About 1 min
- 14
Brush the top of the tsoureki with the egg wash and sprinkle with sliced almonds, if using.
About 1 min
- 15
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.
- 16
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Cook’s note: Cooling completely ensures the interior sets properly.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 400.3kcal
- Protein
- 10g
- Carbs
- 62.2g
- Fat
- 12.3g
- Fibre
- 2.4g
- Sugar
- 13.8g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover tsoureki in an airtight container at room temperature.
Warm slices in a toaster or microwave for a few seconds if desired.
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