STEPS

Using a food processor whip the egg whites until light and frothy. Then repeat with the egg yolks until frothy.

In a bowl mix the beaten eggs with the spices, the orange juice, the yeast in water and the milk and sugar. Mix well and then start adding the flour little by little. Knead the mixture with your hands, dipping them into the butter to mix it in.

Knead the mixture well until the dough mixture is smooth and is trapping air. This can take some time to get the dough nice and elastic which will give your tsoureki the correct texture. Your dough should still be a little sticky towards the end so be careful not to add too much flour. To avoid it sticking to your hands coat them with butter or oil. Also use an oiled as opposed to a flour-dusted surface to avoid your dough becoming too dry.

Roll the dough into a ball, brush the outside with butter, cover it completely and leave it to rise until it has roughly doubled in size (40-45 minutes).

Knead the dough again to remove all of the air and divide it into three or four pieces. Shape either into a simple loaf or, for the more advanced, roll out the dough and then weave it into a thick braid. This can be done by rolling three pieces of the dough into sausage shapes about 30cm long and 5cm wide. Lie them parallel to each other, pinch them together at one end and then braid.

Cover the dough again and leave it to double in size (40 – 45 minutes). Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Baste the outside of the dough with the egg-milk glaze and cook for about 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Then enjoy! For best results do not cut your tsoureki with a knife but rather tear off pieces to enjoy the full texture.

*Originally published in Gastronomos magazine