Greek cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Tsoureki

A golden yeast braid with butter and egg, perfumed with mahlepi and mastic and sprinkled with almond flakes.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 500 g flour
• 150 ml lukewarm milk
• 1 cube fresh yeast
• 120 g sugar
• 100 g butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp mahlepi (ground cherry pit spice)
• 1/2 tsp mastic (ground)
• 1 organic lemon
• 50 g almond flakes
• 1 egg yolk, for brushing
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Mix the yeast with the lukewarm milk and 1 tbsp of the sugar and let stand for 15 min. until the mixture foams clearly.
2. Mix the flour, remaining sugar, salt, mahlepi, the ground mastic, and the grated zest of the organic lemon, then add the eggs, soft butter, and the yeast mixture and knead for 10 min. into a smooth, silky, glossy dough.
3. Let rise covered in a warm place for 90 min. until the volume has doubled and the dough springs back slowly when pressed with a finger.
4. Roll the dough into three equally weighted strands of 40 cm each, braid into a plait, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let rise again for 45 min.
5. Brush with the beaten egg yolk, sprinkle thickly with almond flakes, and bake in the preheated oven at 170°C for 35–40 min. until deep golden brown.
6. Let cool completely on a wire rack and tear into thick slices instead of cutting – this preserves the fibrous crumb.