SC - greek easter bread recipe request

[Lisa Lovell]

And it came to pass on 26 Apr 00,, that margali wrote:

> Sunday is the greek easter, and i would love to surprise one of my
> co-workers with a loaf of the braided bread with the red dyed egg in the
> middle.

A search on google.com on the words Greek Easter Bread produced a 
lot of hits.  Here are three recipes that I found:

Greek Tsoureki (Easter Bread)

Ingredients (2 servings)

       1 c Milk 
       1/2 c Sweet butter 
       1 pk Active dry yeast 
       1/2 c Granulated sugar 
       1 ts Salt 
       2 Eggs; beaten 
       5 tb Orange juice 
       1 tb Grated orange rind 
       5 1/2 c Sifted flour 
       Butter; melted 
       Red-dyed, hard-boiled eggs 
       1/4 c Slivered almonds 
       2 tb Granulated sugar 

  Instructions

       In a small saucepan, combine the milk and butter over medium 
heat and scald. Stir until the butter melts, then pour into a mixing bowl. 
When lukewarm, sprinkle in the yeast, and with fingers or a heavy 
spoon gradually stir in the 1/2 cup sugar until it dissolves. Then add
the salt, eggs 3 tablespoons of the orange juice, and the orange rind, 
stirring continuously, and gradually add half the flour until the mixture 
begins to bubble. Continue adding flour gradually by hand; the dough 
will be sticky, but should not be stiff. Flour your fingers lightly and 
knead for 15 minutes. Place the dough in a large buttered bowl, brush 
the dough with melted butter, cover, and place in a warm area to rise 
until doubled in bulk (approximately 2 to 3 hours). Punch the dough 
down and divide into 2 parts. Divide each half into 3 parts and roll each 
into a long rope about 10" x 2". Braid the three ropes together; pinch to 
seal the ends if leaving long, or join together to form a long round loaf 
(see note below). Repeat with the other half of the dough to make a 
second tsoureki.

       Place in large baking pans or on a cookie sheet, cover, and let rise 
until doubled in bulk (approx. 1 1/2 hours). Meanwhile, prepare the glaze 
by mixing the remaining orange juice, remaining sugar, and the almonds 
in a small bowl. Bake the tsourekia in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. 
Remove from the oven and with a pastry brush glaze the tops and sides 
of loaves. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until 
the color is a rich and shiny chestnut. Note: If using the Easter eggs, 
tuck them into the center when you shape the loaves, leave until loaves 
have doubled and bake them with the loaf. After baking, though lovely, 
the eggs will be inedible. Also in some provinces, the tsoureki is formed 
with a large braid and a smaller one over it, making a much larger loaf 
requiring a longer baking time. From "The Food of Greece" by Vilma 
Liacouras Chantiles. 
       Typed for you by Karen Mintzias 


- ---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

      Title: Tsourekia- Greek Easter bread
 Categories: Breads, Yeast, Ethnic
      Yield: 5 loaves

      2 c  Yoghurt
      2 c  Milk
     12    Eggs ( reserve 3 yolks )
      5 lb Flour
      3 pk Yeast
      3 c  Sugar
      1 lb Sweet butter
      2 c  Warm water
           Seseme seeds
           Hard cooked colored eggs
           ( optional )

  Dissolve yeast in the warm water and add enough flour
  to make a thick batter and cover and let rise double.
  this is called the " sponge '.Meanwhile In a large
  bowl, beat butter and sugar very light and fluffy,
  about 20 minutes. Beat in the eggs ( except for 3
  yolks ).Alternate adding flour and yoghurt and milk to
  egg/ sugar mixture and stir in the yeast mixture.
  Enough flour should be added to make a non sticky
  dough. Knead smooth and elastic. Cover dough in a
  large greased bowl and let rise double. Punch down and
  let rise double again. Then shape as desired in pans
  or in  braided rings. Let rise double and brush loaves
  with the reserved egg yolks. Sprinkle with seseme
  seeds. Traditionally for easter, red colored hard
  cooked eggs may be pressed into the braided ring
  before the 3rd rising. Baske in a 350 oven until
  golden, about 30minutes. loaves are light, sweet and
  delicious. Note: recipe may be easily halved.

- -----



Easter Egg Bread 

2 cups sugar
6 large, eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
9 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter or margarine
2 hard-cooked eggs, unshelled and dyed 
3 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
t teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sugar


     Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, cook over medium 
heat until butter melts. Cool milk mixture to 105 to 115. 

     Combine yeast and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl, let stand 5 
minutes. Stir in 6 lightly beaten eggs. Gradually add 9 cups flour 
alternately with milk mixture, stirring well. 

     Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth 
and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place dough in a well-greased in a well 
greased bowl, turning to grease top. 

     Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) free from drafts, 1 
hour. 

     Punch dough down, and divide in half, divide each half into 3 
portions. Shape each portion into a 2 1/2 -foot rope. Pinch 3 ropes 
together at 1 end to seal, braid ropes. Place braid on a lightly greased 
baking sheet, and shape into a circle. Place 1 hard cooked egg where 
braids meet, shaping dough around egg. Repeat procedure with 
remaining 3 ropes of dough. Cover braids, and let rise in warm place (85 
degrees), free from drafts, 30 minutes. 

     Brush bread with 1 beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. 

                                Yield: 2 loaves.
                                 Margie Spano
                             Birmingham, Alabama 



Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net