Greek cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Lambropsomo (Easter Bread)

Easter yeast bread with mahlab and mastic, braided and baked with a red-dyed egg nestled in the middle.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 700 g wheat flour
• 1 packet dry yeast (7 g)
• 150 g sugar
• 1 tsp mahlab (ground cherry kernel)
• 1/2 tsp mastic (ground)
• 1 tsp salt
• 200 ml lukewarm milk
• 100 g soft butter
• 4 eggs for the dough
• 2 eggs for boiling
• 1 tsp red food coloring
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Hard-boil the 2 eggs for 9 min., shock in cold water and dye them with the red food coloring according to the package instructions; they will later decorate the loaf and bake along with it.
2. Mix the flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt, mahlab and mastic, add the lukewarm milk, soft butter and three of the dough eggs, and knead everything for 12 min. into a soft, glossy dough.
3. Let the dough rise covered in a warm place for 90 min. until doubled in volume – the mastic makes it especially elastic.
4. Set aside a third of the dough, shape the remaining two-thirds into a round loaf and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment; roll the reserved dough into two strands and lay them crosswise on top.
5. Press the red eggs into the gaps formed, let the loaf rise covered for another 45 min., then brush with the fourth beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a preheated 175°C oven for 45–50 min., loosely covering with foil after 30 min.; let cool completely and tear into pieces.