Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)

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Greek · 250 min · vegetarian

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup bread flour
• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 eggs
• 1 orange
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Method (tap to check — screen stays awake)

1. Warm the milk with the butter and sugar until the butter melts; cool until just warm to the touch (hot liquid kills yeast).
2. Mix the flour, yeast, cardamom, the zest of the orange, and 1 tsp salt. Add the warm milk mixture and 3 eggs, and knead 10 minutes until smooth, glossy, and elastic — it's a soft, slightly sticky dough; resist adding much flour. Traditional tsoureki uses mahlepi; cardamom plus orange zest is our grocery-store route to that same haunting perfume.
3. Cover and rise in a warm spot about 90 minutes, until doubled. This rise is counted in the total time — enriched doughs are slow, and rushing them makes dense bread.
4. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each into a 16-inch rope. Braid the ropes snugly, tuck the ends under, and set on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
5. Cover loosely and proof 60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled.
6. Heat the oven to 350F. Beat the last egg and brush the braid all over, then scatter with the sliced almonds.
7. Bake 28-32 minutes, until deep mahogany and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 190F. Tent with foil at 20 minutes if it's browning fast — the egg wash colors quickly.
8. Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing; warm tsoureki tears rather than slices.

Nutrition figures are estimates. Verify allergens on every ingredient label before cooking.

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