Greek Christmas Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Mix the yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water and 2 tablespoons of flour, stir until dissolved and set aside for 10 minutes, until it bubbles.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift the salt with 2/3 of the flour.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, the remaining warm water, and the wine.
• Mix until a soft dough forms, cover with waxed paper and a damp towel, and set aside to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.
• Punch the dough down and knead for several minutes until any air pockets are gone.
• Sift in the remaining flour, add the oil, orange juice, brandy, and grated orange peel.
• In a small bowl, mix the sugar, raisins, walnuts, pine nuts, anise, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until blended, and add to the dough.
• Knead well until the dough is firm and doesn't stick (about 10 minutes), cover, and allow to rise for 1/2 hour.
• On a lightly buttered baking pan, shape the bread into two circular loaves, about 8 inches in diameter.
• Cover with a dry cloth and a damp cloth over that, and place in a warm place to rise again, until doubled in size.
• Using a floured knife, score a cross into the top of the loaves, and place one whole, unshelled walnut at the center. Brush the bread with milk and scatter with sesame seeds.
• Place a pan with at least 1 inch of water in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450°F
• Place the bread in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then remove the pan with the water, reduce heat to 390F and bake for another 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from oven, brush lightly with water, and cool on a rack.
• Decorate Your Christmas Bread: After the second kneading, pull a fistful of dough from each loaf. Pat the dough back into shape to rise. When risen, use the small pieces of dough to create designs. Make them into the shapes of your choice and place on top of the loaves. Continue with the recipe.

Steps:

• Make Quick Yeast Dough.
• Remove stems and cut figs into quarters. Place anise seeds in food processor fitted with steel blade; process 1 minute. Add figs, walnuts, sugar, orange zest, and an ise extract; process with on/off pulses until evenly chopped. Add raisins and process just until combined.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into 18x4-inch rectangle. Turn dough so that one long edge faces you. Spread filling over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border on each edge. Brush edges with water. Starting at one long edge, roll up at a slight angle so that one end is tapered and the opposite end is wide. (Loaf will be slightly horn-shaped.) Place loaf seam side down on unreased baking sheet. Twist dough, then starting at wide end as the base, roll dough upward into snail-shaped coil. Tuck tapered end into coil.
• Cover loaf with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled, 25 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush loaf lightly with water. Bake 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake loaf 20 minutes longer. Transfer bread to wire rack and let cool slightly.
• Brush honey over warm bread. Cut into 10 equal slices.

Steps:

• PREPARATION NOTES: Melt the butter, chop the dried figs, chop the apricots and chop the almonds.
• Place yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp flour, salt and warm water into a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 15 - 20 minutes or until frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together 4 eggs, the remaining sugar and the milk. Stir in the frothy yeast mixture, 6 1/2 cuts of the remaining flour and the vanilla extract. Stir in the melted butter then the remaining ingredients.
• Mix to form a stiff dough, then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes (add remaining flour if needed). The dough should smooth and soft.
• Return the dough to the cleaned mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough back to its original size. Return to the bowl again, cover and leave in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into about a 12 inch rope and braid three of them together, molding the ends together to seal. Repeat with the other three ropes and make another braid. Place each braid o a lightly oiled cookie sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for a final 40 minutes until the braid has risen.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and glaze the tops of both braids. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups flour and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Stir milk, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan; heat and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and the temperature is between 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) to 100 degrees F (37 degrees C).
• Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, add eggs, and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes more. Add 1 cup flour and 3 tablespoons orange juice to the mixture; mix on high for 3 minutes more.
• Fit the mixer with a dough hook. Add remaining flour to the mixture; beat with dough hook until the flour is completely incorporated.
• Grease a glass bowl. Put dough into the bowl. Let dough rise until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Punch dough down. Divide the dough into two halves. Split each half into three even pieces, roll each piece into a cylinder, and braid into loaves. Put loaves onto a baking sheet. Let rise, about 1 hour.
• Bake in preheated oven until the middle is baked, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Stir confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon orange juice together in a bowl; brush onto the tops of the loaves.