Braided Greek Tsoureki
A glossy, braided Greek sweet bread fragranced with orange zest and warm mahleb spice, with a soft, pull-apart crumb.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Make and rise the dough. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, mahleb, mastic and orange zest, then add the milk, eggs and vanilla and knead for 5 minutes. Add the butter in pieces and knead for a further 8-10 minutes, until the dough turns silky and elastic and stretches into long, stringy threads when pulled. Cover and leave to rise for 2-3 hours, until doubled - this rich, buttery dough takes its time, so don't rush it.
- 2
Braid and prove. Halve the dough and divide each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a 45cm rope, pinch three ropes together at one end, braid them loosely and tuck the ends underneath. Set the braids on the trays, cover and prove for 1-1½ hours until puffy and visibly larger.
- 3
Bake to a deep shine. At 170°C (150°C fan), brush the braids with egg wash twice for a deep shine, and bake for 30-35 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minutes if they're browning too fast. The tsoureki is done once it's a deep mahogany colour and the centre reads 88-90°C, which keeps this enriched dough soft rather than dry.
- 4
Cool before slicing. At least 1 hour on the wire rack is needed before slicing, so the soft, stringy crumb has time to firm up enough to hold a clean cut.
Storage
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Warm briefly in a low oven before serving if you'd like it piping hot again. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook
- cling film
- 2 baking trays lined with baking paper
- pastry brush
- instant-read thermometer
- wire rack
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 311 kcal |
| Protein | 8.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 42.7 g |
| of which sugars | 10.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 10 g |
| Fat | 11.9 g |
| of which saturates | 6.6 g |
| Fibre | 1.3 g |
| Salt | 0.44 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
