Greek Easter
Description
The pastry is simple and quick to prepare. When making Greek Easter bread, decide on the filling in advance: add almond flour, almond pieces, or almond flakes. The top of the Greek Easter bread can be glazed or soaked with syrup—according to your taste. Some home cooks prepare the sweet dough and bake it, placing boiled eggs between the strips of dough. The pastry is ready. Serve at the table.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the listed ingredients. If using rich, homemade milk, you can omit the butter. If using store-bought milk, heat it together with 50 grams of butter until the butter melts. Fresh yeast can be replaced with 10 grams of dry yeast. Soak the almonds in water.
- 2
Step 2
Bring the milk to a boil and cool it down to a temperature of 30-35 degrees. Higher temperature is not acceptable—yeast will not activate! Pour the milk into a deep bowl or salad bowl and crumble fresh yeast into it. Whisk with a whisk.
- 3
Step 3
Add 4 tbsp of wheat flour and the same amount of sugar, then whisk again with a whisk until no lumps remain.
- 4
Step 4
Cover the container with a towel and let it sit for 20–30 minutes to allow the starter to rise. While the starter is rising, peel the almonds and chop them finely with a knife.
- 5
Step 5
Then, in a deep container, beat the chicken yolks with the remaining granulated sugar and salt.
- 6
Step 6
Pour the risen starter into the container and mix well with a whisk or fork.
- 7
Step 7
Add the sifted premium wheat flour and chopped almonds, knead the dough for 10–15 minutes. Periodically rub your hands with vegetable oil to make handling the yeast dough easier. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour.
- 8
Step 8
Do not stop watching it, as the dough rises very quickly. When it becomes fluffy and airy, moisten your hands with oil and punch it down. This may happen slightly earlier—after 40 minutes, depending on the room temperature.
- 9
Step 9
Spray the baking pan with vegetable oil and divide the dough into two or three parts. Twist them together and place into the pan, tucking the knots underneath. Cover with a towel once again and let the dough rise for half an hour.
- 10
Step 10
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place the baking pan on the middle rack. Bake the Greek Easter bread for 40–45 minutes. A couple of minutes before the end of baking, brush the surface of the bread with egg yolk or milk to give it a golden crust.
- 11
Step 11
Remove the Greek yeast pie from the oven and let it cool thoroughly. Serve it as is. Alternatively, you can soak it with syrup or top it with a sugar glaze made from 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 80 grams of powdered sugar. Sprinkle the glaze with almond flakes and let it dry.
- 12
Step 12
Cut into pieces and serve with tea, lemonade, warm milk, etc. Enjoy your meal!