Pascha Recipes
Easter Tsoureki
Ingredients
Extract
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon aniseed
- Grated peel of 1 orange
- 3/4 cup water
Bread
- 1 teaspoon mahaleb (optional)
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Grated peel of orange
- 1 cup + 7 to 8 cups flour
- Sesame seed
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Red Easter eggs (dyed red, but preferably not boiled)
Instructions
Extract
- Make a flavoring extract by bringing to a boil the water, orange peel and spices. Boil away a third of the water. Strain liquid into a small bowl to cool until very warm to touch.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (packets) of yeast over this and allow to soften and bubble.
- Meanwhile, begin the bread.
Bread
- Heat milk, butter, sugar and salt over medium heat until butter melts and bubbles form. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- Beat 3 eggs until fluffy in a large bowl.
- Add milk mixture, yeast and extract.
- Slowly beat in 1 cup flour. Blend well to make a smooth batter.
- Add grated rind of second orange.
- Slowly add more flour until a very soft dough is achieved. Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes, adding only enough flour to keep dough from sticking to hands.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turn it over to coat completely. Cover loosely with 2 sheets of plastic wrap and cover with a damp towel. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume, 2 to 3 hours.
- Punch dough down. Knead briefly and divide in half. Cover 1/2 with a damp towel. Shape 3 ropes with the other half of the dough. Roll in a light sprinkling of sesame seed. Braid ropes and shape into wreath, if desired.
- Place a red egg on loaf.
- Shape a thin cross with 2 strips of dough and decorate egg, if desired.
- Repeat with second half of dough.
- Place loaves on greased cookie sheet. Cover loosely with plastic film and allow to rise in warm place, about 1 hour.
- Uncover, brush with egg and water mixture and bake at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Loaves should give a hollow sound when rapped with fingers.