Ingredients
- 1 kg strong flour (for brioche or bread, ideal for tsoureki)
- 150 gr. unsalted cow’s butter LURPAK
- 280 gr. sugar
- 22 gr. dry yeast
- 200 ml whole milk
- 90 ml water
- 80 ml fresh orange juice
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 ½ tsp mahleb (mahlepi)
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (also known as kakoule)
- ½ tsp ground mastic (mastiha)
- 1 vanilla (powder or extract)
- Optional: zest of one orange
Ingredients for the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
Method
In the bowl of the mixer, pour the water, adding 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2–3
tablespoons of flour, and the yeast, and stir gently with a spoon just to combine the
ingredients.
Then, cover the bowl well with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place for 10–20
minutes.
Once the yeast is activated, first add the remaining flour and then the rest of the
ingredients, with the milk and butter (melted in a small saucepan or microwave)
added last. Be careful with the butter—it should be warm, not hot.
Mix with the dough hook on medium to low speed for at least 10 minutes, until the
dough becomes elastic and sticky.
Immediately after, oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, and cover the bowl well
with plastic wrap.
Finally, place it in a warm area for at least 1 hour, until the dough doubles in size.
When the dough is ready, take it out of the bowl and cut it into 9 equal pieces. Then,
take 3 of the pieces, roll them into equal-thickness and equal-length ropes, and make
a braid.
Continue the same process, braiding the remaining pieces. Then, place the tsourekia
on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cover with a clean towel and let them rest in a warm place for 25–45 minutes,
depending on the room temperature.
After that, beat the egg with the milk in a small bowl, ensuring both are at room
temperature, and gently brush the entire surface of each braid with a pastry brush.
Bake in a preheated oven with fan, on the middle rack, at 160°C (320°F) for 23–25
minutes.
