2 pk (7 gram) Active Dry Yeast
2 c Warm Milk
9 c All-purpose Flour; (up to
-10)
1 1/2 c Granulated Sugar
2 ts Makhlepi; (Optional)
8 tb Butter; Melted and Cooled
6 Eggs; 1 Lightly Beaten
1 ts Salt
1 tb Grated Orange Rind; (Zest)
1 tb Grated Lemon Rind; (Zest)
2 Hard-Cooked Red-Dyed Eggs;
-(Optional)
2 tb Black Cumin Seeds
This braided bread recipe has its origins in the Byzantine Era and was
traditionally prepared with an essence drawn from the seeds of
Mediterranean wild cherries, called makhlepi. It’s worth a trip to your
local specialty market to purchase this uncommon ingredient, but you may
elect to prepare this beautiful bread without the seed essence.
You don’t have to be a theologian to comprehend the correlation between the
Easter season and bread making as nearly any yeast-activated bread will
rise again when diligently prepared. Even if you elect not to prepare this
deliciously unique Greek Easter Bread, you’ll want some type of yeast-based
bread on the table of your Easter feast.
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warmed milk. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1/2
cup sugar, cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1-hour. Steep
makhlepi (if utilizing) in 1/2 cup simmering water for about 5-minutes.
Strain mixture and discard seeds. Set remaining liquid aside to cool.
Stir 1/2 cup water or makhlepi-scented liquid into the yeast mixture. Add
butter and 5 eggs and thoroughly combine. Sift in 8 cups of flour, salt and
remaining sugar into bread mixture. Add salt, orange and lemon zest, and
mix thoroughly with a large wooden spoon. Turn out dough onto a floured
surface. Knead, adding more flour if necessary, until smooth, approximately
10-minutes. Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl.
Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and set aside to raise for about
2-hours.
Return dough to the floured surface. Divide the dough into 6-equal parts
and roll into ropes about 15-inches long. For each loaf, loosely braid 3
ropes, turn under ends and press 1 dyed egg (optional) near one end of each
braid. Set bread aside to rise again for at least 1-hour on a lightly
greased cookie sheet.
Pre-heat oven to 350-F degrees. Brush bread with remaining beaten egg and
sprinkle with black cumin seeds. Bake until golden, approximately 40 to
50-minutes. Store cooled bread in an airtight container or serve warm.
Kitchen Staff Tip: Take the time to carefully prepare the orange and lemon
zest. Make sure you remove nearly all of the white pith from the rind of
the fruits or your bread may turn out bitter. Peal the fruit and utilize a
small, sharp, non-serrated knife to remove any remaining pith from the
rind. Then mince, food process or grind the zest into tiny bits before
using in this recipe.
Yields
2 Loaves