Miss M and I have come down with some sort of energy sapping, body aching sickness this weekend, but it hasn't deterred us from our enthusiasm for Easter baking. (Yes, we've washed our hands.) I discovered things with yeast allow us to have a little lie down between efforts to recharge while the dough rises! Perfectly civilized.
Today we performed our final baking act in the kitchen...BEHOLD! THE GREEK EASTER BREAD!
And can I just tell you, it's freaking delicious. Like, really delicious. It really is. And easy. Easy peasy Greekeneesy. I love making bread. I don't know what it is about it. But I love it. And it's not that hard. People get all freaked out about making bread, but it's simple. You should have a go.
And its great to get the kids involved too...Miss M could contribute to all steps as you can see (even the vacuuming up of a gazillion sesame seeds from the floor) - and she loved seeing how the bread rose up in the bowl and helping to shape and decorate with eggwash and various toppings (We used caraway - because I'm MAD for it, sesame seeds and slivered almonds).
This bread is slightly sweet with a faint citrus scent - fantastic for breakfast toast me thinks. Miss M was most adamant that there was to be no red egg in it, like the traditional Greek loaf. So there is no decorative egg. Which I was a bit sad about. Oh well.
Instead of the mahlab I boiled together and strained 2 cups of water, 3/4 tablespoon aniseed seed and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Instead of the mastic I just used the grated rind of one orange.
I followed the quantities in the recipe and came out with four beautiful braided loaves. This bread has a lovely texture - a little chewy but soft. And I love the braids - braided bread is my favourite. Don't ask me why. Maybe I have a Heidi thing going on.
Oh! Miss M found a good way to break an egg all by herself without it a) exploding over self and kitchen or b) end up with shell within. She taps the very top of the egg on the rim of the bowl until it cracks, then peels the top off like flipping the lid off a bottle. Then she just pours out the egg. Very clever Miss M!
I'm off for a well earned sit down, coffee and of course...a slice or two of warm tsoureki!
Purely medicinal for us sick girls of course...
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