Tsourekia- Greek Easter Bread

Loaves are light, sweet and delicious.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 35 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 36  ounces flour
• 1  cup butter
• 2  tablespoons  grated  orange rind
• 6  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 2  tablespoons  yeast
• 1⁄2 cup  lukewarm water
•  sesame seeds (optional)
•  colored  hardboiled egg (optional)

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water.
2. Add a teacup of flour and beat the mix with a towel and place it in a warm place to rise.
3. Slightly heat the milk, the sugar, the butter and the orange rind and place them in a bowl.
4. Add the yeast, the eggs, beaten, and the flour, stirring constantly.
5. Make sure the dough is neither too soft nor too tough.
6. Cover this dough with a towel and let it stand in a warm place for about an hour and a half.
7. When the dough has doubled in size, knead it again by hand and shape plaited breads.
8. (Traditionally for easter, red colored hard cooked eggs may be pressed into the braided bread) Brush the breads with 2-3 beaten egg yolks and bake them in a medium oven for about 30-35 minutes.