Easter Twist (Tsoureki)
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Prep Time
- 45 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½tablespoons active dry yeast
- ¼cup warm water
- 2tablespoons plus 3½ to 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon plus 1 cup sugar
- 1⅛teaspoons salt
- 4eggs
- ⅔cup milk, scalded and cooled
- 14tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½teaspooon mahlepi flavoring or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Oil for greasing bowl and pan
- Sesame seeds for topping
- 1egg, beaten for topping
- 4red-dyed hard-boiled eggs for decoration
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)
271 calories; 13 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 180 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Mix yeast with water. Add 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Stir, then let stand in a warm place until mixture bubbles and foams, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2
In a large bowl beat the 4 eggs. Add remaining 1 cup sugar, cooled milk, melted butter and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in yeast mixture. If using vanilla add to mixture. Otherwise, blend mahlepi to 3½ cups flour. Add to egg mixture to make a stiff and elastic dough. Dough will be very sticky. Knead well on a floured board for about 5 minutes. Or use dough hook of an electric mixer.
- Step 3
Place dough in a greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel. Let rise until almost double in bulk, about 3 hours. Punch down and turn over in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel and let rise again until almost double in bulk, about 1½ hours.
- Step 4
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously flour work area before rolling out dough. Separate dough into 3 balls. Roll into 14-inch-long ropes and braid. Place on greased round bread pan or cookie sheet and shape into a wreath. Let rise about 45 minutes until double in bulk. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Arrange 4 red eggs around the wreath. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until golden.
Private Notes
Comments
ALWAYS use bread flour for tsoureki! ALWAYS! Not necessary to scald the milk; milk is pasteurized now. Use milk warm to the touch. The amount of butter is okay if more flour is added. I make this recipe almost every year but I use seven cups instead of four. Double the mahlepi, do add vanilla and double it, plus use the zest of an orange. Do add a little more sugar. And that's the fix. I wrote to NYT about the discrepancies; the author said the flour amounts are not set in stone. Disappointing.
The step by step directions omit the flour- would me good to correct this
Assume the flour should be added in step 2- irbid missing in the step by step directions
ALWAYS use bread flour for tsoureki! ALWAYS! Not necessary to scald the milk; milk is pasteurized now. Use milk warm to the touch. The amount of butter is okay if more flour is added. I make this recipe almost every year but I use seven cups instead of four. Double the mahlepi, do add vanilla and double it, plus use the zest of an orange. Do add a little more sugar. And that's the fix. I wrote to NYT about the discrepancies; the author said the flour amounts are not set in stone. Disappointing.
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