Tsoureki is a sweet brioche bread, which has a three-strand braid, representing the Holy Trinity. Traditionally made on Holy Thursday, Tsoureki is a staple during Greek Easter. 

Here is our simple recipe that makes four large, fluffy, sweet, and ever-so-tasty homemade Tsourekia!  

Ingredients 

– 1.5 x kilos all-purpose white flour 

– 30gm x dried yeast

– 600ml x full cream milk, lukewarm

– 500gm x sugar

– pinch of salt

– 60gm x vanilla sugar 

– 6 x tears of mastic, freshly ground

– 6gm x mahlepi (optional) 

– 7 x medium-sized eggs, lightly beaten 

– 375 gm x unsalted butter, melted

– 1 x egg for glazing 

– 2 x tbsp water for glazing

– sesame seeds for sprinkling

Method 

-Dissolve yeast in 3/4 cups of milk and a teaspoon of sugar.  Set aside. 

– Lightly heat milk in a saucepan and add to the remaining sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

– Sift flour into a large bowl and add salt. Mix and create well in the centre of the bowl. 

-Add yeast, lightly beaten eggs, dissolved sugar, vanilla sugar, ground mastic, mahlepi (optional), and melted butter; mix well until all ingredients are well combined. 

– Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place to proof and double in volume. This will take 3-4 hours.

– When ready, place dough onto a clean working surface and knead with your hands for 1-2 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Take each piece of dough and divide it into 3 equal pieces.

-Take the first set of dough and one by one, shape each of the 3 pieces into a long rope about 50 cm long, 5 cm wide. Place the 3 ropes on the baking paper, connect the 3 ropes on one end and braid them. Tuck the ends underneath. Take the second set of dough and repeat. 

-Transfer the braided tsourekia onto baking trays and cover them with clean kitchen towels. Leave them in a warm place for 1 hour to rise further.

-In the meantime, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

– In a small bowl, add the egg yolk and water and mix well with a fork.

-Once the braids have been proofed, using a brush, apply the glaze over the braids and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

-Place tsourekia in preheated oven and bake for around 30-35 minutes or until golden- brown and cooked through. 

-Allow to slightly cool. Then move the tsourekia onto wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe and Images by IN+SIGHTS GREECE © (Copyright)