Greek Easter Bread

Concha the dog is getting old — eight years old now, slower, grayer, still sleeping under the bakery counter, still waiting for crumbs. The customers notice. Doña Esperanza (still coming, still ordering the usual, a miracle of longevity) said: "The dog looks tired." I said: "The dog is loved." Tired and loved. That is also a description of me.

There is a bread that belongs to places like this — to counters worn smooth by years of elbows, to dogs who know the smell of yeast before the loaves are even shaped. Greek Easter Bread is that bread for me: rich and golden, braided the way time braids itself into the work you love, sweet enough to feel like a gift. After a quiet morning watching Concha sleep and Doña Esperanza take her usual spot by the window, I wanted to make something that matched the tenderness of it all — something that asks for patient hands and rewards them with something beautiful.

Prep Time: 30 minutes + 2 hours rising | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours | Servings: 12

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
3/4 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, room temperature (2 for dough, 1 for egg wash)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground mahlab or anise seed (optional, traditional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 orange
Sesame seeds or sliced almonds, for topping
2 to 3 dyed red hard-boiled eggs, for decoration (traditional)

Instructions

Activate the yeast. Combine warm milk, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, salt, mahlab or anise (if using), and orange zest. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, softened butter, and 2 eggs. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead until smooth. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, supple, and slightly tacky. It should spring back when poked.
First rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
Shape the loaf. Punch down the dough and divide into three equal pieces. Roll each into a rope about 18 inches long. Braid the three ropes together and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Tuck the ends under neatly.
Press in eggs and second rise. If using dyed eggs, press them gently into the braid at intervals. Cover loosely and let rise again for 30 to 45 minutes until puffed.
Apply egg wash. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush evenly over the loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or sliced almonds.
Bake. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer should read 190°F in the center.
Cool before slicing. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. It slices cleanly when fully set and keeps well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Greek Easter Bread — Baked with Tired Hands and a Full Heart