Dianes Greek Braided Easter Bread Recipes

DIANE'S GREEK BRAIDED EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside for 1 hour. Meanwhile, steep mahlepi in 1/2 cup simmering water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Strain, and discard mahlepi. Let cool.
• Add mahlepi infusion, butter, and 5 eggs to yeast mixture; combine thoroughly. Add orange and lemon zests. Sift in remaining 8 cups flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Knead dough in bowl until smooth, about 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball, and transfer to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover, and let rise for 2 hours.
• Punch dough down, and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a rope, about 15 inches long. Tightly braid 3 ropes together, beginning in the middle. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes. Tuck a red-dyed egg into the first and last plaits, using a small piece of coiled dough to hold each egg in place if necessary. Place each loaf on a buttered baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush bread with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Transfer to oven, and bake until golden, 50 to 60 minutes.

GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup water that is hot to the touch (about 110 degrees F) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently whisk in the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the flour and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cover with a towel and set aside until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the temperature of the room).
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles start to form around the edges, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, remaining sugar and salt. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Using the paddle attachment, stir the milk mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in the 2 beaten eggs. Gradually mix in the remaining flour, fennel seed and almond extract, and beat until a soft dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball, about 5 minutes (the dough will be sticky).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is as smooth as a baby's bottom, about 5 minutes.
• Put in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Place the dough on the surface and cut into three equal parts. Gently roll out each piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Line a wide-lipped cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the ropes to the prepared sheet. Press the ropes together at one end and braid loosely. Arrange the braid in a circle. Press the ends of the dough together. Gently stretch the circle to make it 10 inches across and the hole in the middle 3 1/2 inches across. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Rub the eggs with a little vegetable oil, and then buff with a paper towel. Gently press the eggs into the dough, evenly spaced. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bread with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until the loaf is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes. Cool about 30 minutes before slicing.

PELOPONNESIAN TSOUREKI (BRAIDED EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Warm the 2 cups of milk and place in a large bowl. Add the yeast, 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cover, and set aside in a warm place until the mixture becomes spongy, about 1 hour.
• In a large bowl combine the remaining 7 cups flour, the chopped almonds, salt, remaining sugar, orange rind and anise seed. Make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, olive oil and beaten eggs. Stir, working outward, until a dough forms.
• Dust a work surface with a little flour, and knead the dough, adding more flour if necessary, until it is smooth and doesn't stick to your fingers, about 12 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down. Divide into 6 small balls, and roll each into strips 12 to 15 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Lay 3 strips side by side, pinch them together at one end, and braid. Pinch the braids together at the other end to hold the loaf together. Press 2 dyed eggs between the strips of the braid.
• Repeat the procedure to make a second loaf. Place the loaves on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with the cloth, and let rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat together the egg yolk and the 2 tablespoons milk. Brush over each loaf, and sprinkle each with the slivered almonds. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. The loaves should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from the oven and cool on racks.