Coconut-glazed Easter Tsoureki!
A soft and aromatic coconut-glazed Easter tsoureki with a modern twist. This traditional braided sweet bread is flavored with classic spices like mahleb and cardamom, then finished with a smooth coconut cream glaze. The topping of shredded coconut, pistachios, fresh red berries, and edible flowers gives the tsoureki a festive look and a delicate balance of flavors.
Execution
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk together with a teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, mahleb, cardamom, salt and orange zest. Add the eggs, melted butter and the yeast mixture.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into three equal parts and shape them into long ropes. Braid them together to form the traditional tsoureki shape and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Let the braided dough rise again for about 30–40 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F) for about 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.
Coconut Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Once the tsoureki has cooled slightly, drizzle the coconut glaze over the top.
Finish by sprinkling shredded coconut, chopped pistachios, fresh raspberries and edible flowers for a beautiful festive presentation.
