Easter bread – Tsoureki

Ingredients

• 2 cups strong bread flour
• 1 tbsp dried yeast
• 2 tsp mahlab
• 1/2 tsp mastiha
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup warm water or milk
• 50 g butter (melted and cooled)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 medium egg (for the dough)
• 1 medium egg (to brush the dough)

1. Mix flour, sugar, yeast, mahlab, mastiha and cardamom.
2. Add the egg and melted butter and start mixing the dough.
3. Slightly add the warm water or milk and keep mixing until the dough comes together.
4. Work the dough patiently for 5 minutes.
5. Cover and put it in a warm place until it doubles in size.
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it  in 3 pieces and roll each piece with your hands to form a rope shape.
7. Form a braid and transfer into a baking pan.
8. Cover and let it rise for another 1 hour.
9. After one hour the bread should be ready to bake.
10. Beat the egg and brush the top of the bread with it.
11. Sprinkle with almond flakes and sesame seeds.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for around 30 min at 200 C.
13. Let it cool before serving.

Notes:

If you don’t manage to find the spices or don’t like them, replace them with your favorite spices.

Leftover Easter bread makes amazing french toast, just as amazing as brioche bread, so don’t forget to try it.