Name: Greek Easter Bread Recipe
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour; 3 eggs; 1 cup milk; 3½ oz unsalted butter; ½ oz active dry yeast; 4 tbsp granulated sugar; 1½ tsp ground all spice; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp cinnamon; 2 orange zest; cooking spray

This cinnamon-sweet bread includes red-dyed eggs as part of the traditional Easter symbology.

Cover and set aside in a warm area. Allow the dough to rest & rise again for roughly an hour.

How To Make Greek Easter Bread

This Greek easter bread is a traditional brioche-like sweet yeasted bread, easily distinguishable with its dense crumb and red-dyed hard-boiled eggs.

Prep: 1 hr

Rest: 2 hrs 30 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 4 hrs

Makes:

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 eggs, beaten & divided
1 cup milk, warm
3½ oz unsalted butter, melted
½ oz active dry yeast
4 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1½ tsp ground all spice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
2 orange zest
cooking spray

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 tbsp sugar, yeast, & warm milk then whisk to combine. Set aside in a warm area, covered to allow the yeast to bloom & activate, roughly 30 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, remaining sugar, allspice, salt, & cinnamon, then whisk to combine.
Make a well in the center of the bowl, then add 2 beaten eggs, melted butter, your activated yeast mixture, & orange zests. Mix until just incorporated.
Dust your working area with flour. Turn your dough onto the dusted working area, & knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place your dough into it. Set aside in a warm area, covered, & allow the dough to rise & double in volume, roughly an hour.
Dust your working area with flour, then place your dough back onto it. Knead briefly, then shape into a thick log.
Divide the dough into 3 portions. Set aside the other portions, covered. Work one portion at a time, rolling from the middle towards opposite ends and shaping the dough into a 2-feet oblong. Repeat with the other portions, then place the dough next to each other.
Wet the ends with water, press down, & pinch the ends together. You will now be braiding the dough. Bring one of the dough's tips over the center, & do the same with the other dough. In between your braiding, you will constantly have 3 strips of dough. Continue braiding until you reach the end of all 3 doughs.
Wet the ends with water, press down, & pinch the ends together. You will now have a bread dough that resembles a braided ponytail.
Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray & preheat your oven to 360 degrees F.
Transfer your dough onto the baking sheet, then stick the 2 ends forming a circle. As an alternative, you can also divide the braided dough in half & place this onto your baking sheet.
Glaze the top of your bread with the remaining beaten egg. Bake for roughly 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Once baked, allow to cool down completely on cooling racks. Portion & serve as preferred.