Contributed by (Recipe adapted from “Delish” at www.delish.com)

Greek Easter bread is called Tsoureki. It is a beautifully braided bread that is often an Easter
gift from children to their godparents. Coloured eggs are placed in the braided bread and baked
for a beautiful (and delicious) effect.

Ingredients

3 1/4 tsp dry Active yeast
1/3 C light Brown sugar
1 C Milk, warmed to 110°F 5
1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 Tbs Lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp Anise seed, crushed
1 tsp Salt
7 large Eggs,
3 left whole and dyed red
6 Tbs Butter, melted and cooled
1 large Egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions

Coat a large bowl with oil, set aside. Dissolve yeast and 1 Tbs of brown sugar in the heated milk
in a small bowl. Combine 4 1/2 C of flour, the remaining sugar, zest, anise, and salt in the bowl.
Add the 4 plain eggs, the yeast mixture, and the melted butter and mix until a firm dough
forms, adding more flour if necessary. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by
hand until it is soft and elastic - about 20 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to
the prepared bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and
set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in volume - about 1 hour. Preheat
oven to 350°F. Punch down dough, turn out onto a lightly floured board, and divide into three
equal parts. Using the palms of your hands, roll out one piece to create a 2 1/2-foot-long rope.
Repeat with the remaining 2 dough pieces. Braid the three strands together and seal the ends
under each other to create a circle. Transfer to a baking sheet. Place the dyed eggs, evenly
spaced, in the grooves of the braid, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled - about 40
minutes. Brush the loaf with the beaten egg white and bake at 350°F until loaf is golden and
sounds hollow when tapped - about 30 minutes. Transfer the finished loaf to a wire rack to cool.
Serve at room temperature.

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