TSOUREKI

Greek Easter Bread

Mahlepi is a fragrant spice made from the seeds of cherries. It is not a easy find here in Malta so I ordered mine online from a UK spice shop which is my go-to supplier for unusual spices. If you or a friend are travelling to the Greek islands, put Mahlepi on your to-buy list. It is worth trying and a little goes a long way. You can substitute Mahlepi with some ground cardamom and nutmeg if you want to aromatise the bread; however, the flavour is not the same. Mahlepi tastes a little bit like bitter almonds, cherries, and a hint of rose and vanilla.

YOU WILL NEED:

500g plain flour

11g yeast sachet

125ml warm milk

2 eggs

60g sugar zest of 2 oranges juice of 2 oranges

2 teaspoons Mahlepi

75g soft butter red eggs (see below) milk or egg wash for brushing before baking (one egg beaten with some milk) sesame seeds or flaked almonds (optional)

HOW TO MAKE RED EGGS

1. The traditional way to make red eggs is using onion skins. I collected a big bag of onion skins (approximately 100g) and when I had enough, I placed them in a large pot of water, added 2 tablespoons of salt and boiled them for 30 minutes.

2. Set the liquid aside to cool, then remove the onion skins and place the whole white eggs in the dark onion water. Let them stand for an hour, then place the pot on the heat and bring it to the boil.

3. Let the eggs boil for 8 minutes, then let them cool in the water for dark red eggs. If you want a lighter colour, remove the eggs right after boiling and set them aside to cool. These are best prepared the day before and kept in fridge.

TO MAKE THE BREAD

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, zest, butter and Mahlepi. Add the warm milk, eggs, and orange juice and knead everything together for ten minutes.

2. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover it and let it stand until the dough doubles in size. This can take up to 2 hours, or even a little longer.

3. Knock back the dough, let it rest for ten minutes, then cut it into equal pieces. I made a 7-strand braid, but a 3-strand braid will do just fine. Roll the dough pieces into strips, braid them, then place the eggs in the braided dough, and transfer it onto a lined baking sheet.

4. Cover the dough and let it rest for another 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat up the oven to 190°C.

5. Glaze the dough with egg wash or milk and sprinkle it with some sesame seeds or almond flakes. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until it turns golden and sounds hollow when tapped.

YOU WILL NEED:

500g plain flour

1 sachet yeast

(approximately 11g)

80g sugar

1 teaspoon salt

50g soft butter

2 egg yolks

230ml warm milk

200 g sultanas

1 teaspoon mixed spice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

1 tablespoon mandarin peel finely chopped (or grated orange zest)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest