Tina's Proverbs 3:8 Tsoureki/Greek Easter Bread
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
25-30 minutes
Serves:
Makes 7-9 loaves, depending on size of loaf. If you see that the dough is too much for your mixer, if using, remove onto lightly oiled counter and hand knead for until you achieve successful windowpane test. See notes below.
Level:
Intermediate
This bread is not only tantalizing to your tastebuds. It is nutritionally sound according to God's design and what He called good. Made with fresh milled flour, this bread will be "health to your flesh and strength to your bones." Proverbs 3:8
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
6 cups warm water, 105 degrees, enough where you can put your finger in comfortably.
3/4 cups olive oil
1 1/2 cups honey, less is ok, add to measuring cup with the olive oil for easier dispensing
4 eggs
4 tablespoons yeast
4 tablespoons sunflower lecithin, an emulsifier which keeps dough fresher and soft
Fresh milled flour, 10 cups, I used mixed grains of Hard Red, Einkorn and Spelt. Feel free to use any one or mix of grains.
1 1/2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, optional
2 tablespoons salt
7-10 cups King Arthur Organic Unbleached Bread Flour
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
11/2 teaspoons mahlepi (mid-eastern spice of sour cherry pit). See blog, The Bread of Life; Regifting the Gift.
Preparation
DIRECTIONS
1.    Add water to mixer, if using, add yeast and dissolve.
2.    Mix in the olive oil, honey, eggs, lecithin, the 10 cups of milled flour, just until mixed. Let sponge (soak) for 15 minutes.
3.    After 15 minutes add vital wheat gluten, if using, salt and as you continue mixing, slowly add the 7-10 cups King Arthur (store-bought) flour until the dough is pulling away from the sides of mixer bowl, which means there's enough flour. At this point, let the machine knead the dough for 5-7 minutes.
4.    Remove the dough and shape. To shape, I cut dough into 6 - 8 sections. Then I cut each section into 3 or 4 ropes about 12" long and braided them putting them into lightly loaf pans lightly sprayed with olive oil or on baking sheet with parchment paper.
5.    Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size. This should take less than 30 minutes.
6.    Lightly, so as not to punch down, brush with whole beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds or sliced almonds.
7.    Bake in 350°F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden or until internal temp reaches 195°-200°.
8.    Remove from pan and allow to cool.