If there’s one thing Helena and Vikki Moursellas love, it’s cooking for a crowd. In their book Peináo: A Greek Feast for All: Recipes to Feed Hungry Guests, they share easy Greek recipes for mezze (like Orange and Chili Marinated Olives) to dessert (Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies). This traditional tsoureki has been broken out every Easter, a longtime-favourite holiday for the sisters. They write, “Tsoureki is a brioche-style bread studded with spices such as mahlepi and mastiha. For us, Greek Easter has always been our favourite celebration, our godparents live across the road from our local Greek church and they have been hosting dinners for the last 30 years. As children, staying up past 12 am was an event we would look forward to, as well as catching up with friends we only saw once or twice a year. As we became older, Greek Easter turned into a fashion parade.
“Mahlepi is a unique Greek spice, made from the inner kernels of cherries that are ground into a sandy white powder. It tastes like cherries with a hit of almonds and a floral hint of rose. Mastiha is a resin secreted from the skinos tree in Chios. Most Greek delis sell both ingredients.
“Any leftover tsoureki can be sliced, then wrapped in baking paper and placed in a zip-lock bag in the freezer for three months. Simply defrost and toast individual slices, and serve with plenty of butter and apricot jam. If you don’t want to freeze the leftover slices, make a bread and butter pudding.”
Greek Easter Bread
Ingredients
- 3 7 g (¾ oz) sachets active dried yeast
- ½ cup lukewarm whole milk
- 2 tbsp superfine sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 whole eggs
- 1¾ oz unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour sifted, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp ground mastiha
- 1 tsp ground mahlepi
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 tsp salt flakes
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
- softened butter and apricot jam to serve
Instructions
- Combine the yeast, milk and half the sugar in a jug, stir and set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, combine the yeast mixture, remaining sugar, honey, egg yolks, one whole egg and the butter, and mix on low speed to combine. Add the flour, mastiha, mahlepi, vanilla powder and salt flakes and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic and doesn’t stick to the bowl (the dough itself will be a little sticky).
- Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour to prove or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Knock back the dough, then turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into three equal portions, then roll into balls.
- Start by stretching each dough ball into a 16 in (40 cm) rope. Braid the three ropes of dough together and pinch the ends to seal. Place the tsoureki on a large baking tray lined with baking paper and place in a warm spot again to prove for 1 hour or until risen.
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Lightly beat the remaining egg. Brush the tsoureki with the egg wash and scatter with the sesame seeds. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow the tsoureki to cool completely, then cut into ¾ in (2 cm) thick slices. Spread with butter and apricot jam and serve.
