Green Velvet Cupcakes

A fun play on the traditional red velvet cupcakes, these just use green food coloring instead of red for a festive holiday treat.

Red/Green Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 heaping tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup oil
2 eggs
2 Tbsp food coloring
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda in salt in a bowl and set aside.  In a stand mixer, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, food coloring, vinegar & vanilla on low speed until combined.  Slowly add in the dry ingredients with the mixer on low, mixing until thoroughly combined.  Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

The cupcakes pictured were topped with cream cheese frosting, but I also used a 7 minute frosting for some as well!

Cupcake recipe adapted from Paula Deen

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

Is it mint or just vanilla with green?  I'm not sure what it used to be, but there is definitely mint extract in the new shamrock shakes.  What better way to celebrate a seasonal treat than to turn it into a cupcake?  These cupcakes start out with a white cake base, with a bit of mint extract and green food coloring, and get topped off with a white chocolate buttercream.  They smell and taste just like the shake.  Another great St. Patrick's Day treat!

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

Ingredients

4 egg whites

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*

¼ cup green creme de menthe**

½ cup shortening

1 ¾ cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1.Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty to twenty-two 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine the buttermilk and the creme de menthe. Set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until mixture is combined.

3.Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.

4.Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

5.Divide White Chocolate Frosting between two bowls. Tint one portion with green food coloring. Spoon each frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe white and green frostings onto tops of cupcakes to resemble four-leaf clovers. Makes 20 to 22 (2-1/2 inch) cupcakes.

*Tip: If you prefer not to use creme de menthe, substitute a mixture of 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon mint extract, and several drops green food coloring.

White Chocolate Frosting

Yield: 3-1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

6 ounces white baking chocolate with cocoa butter, chopped

1/3cup whipping cream

1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Place white baking chocolate in a large mixing bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan heat whipping cream just until simmering. Pour over white baking chocolate; let stand, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth; let stand for 15 minutes. Gradually beat butter into melted white chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on medium to high speed, beating until combined. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting reaches piping or spreading consistency. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens

Eggnog Macarons

These little French cookies are a tasty treat and a challenge to make.  These would be a great way to use up some leftover eggnog that has accumulated in your refrigerator.

These had the perfect eggnog flavor, not overpowering, but enough so you knew it was eggnog.

The directions are very detailed, so I'll direct you to the recipe I used, from the queen of macarons: Tartlette

Christmas Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are a new tradition that I hope to continue for many years to come.  

Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: 8-12 large or 12-16 smaller cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:
6 ½ tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
5 ½ tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. lemon extract or 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 ½ cups unbleached bread or all-purpose flour
2 tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
1 1/8 to 1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature

For the filling:
6 ½ tbsp. granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
other spices to taste (ginger, cardamom, allspice, etc.)

For the white fondant glaze:
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 tbsp. to ½ cup heavy cream

Directions:
Cream together the sugar, salt, and butter on medium-high speed in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Whip in the egg and lemon zest/extract until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast and milk. Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes, or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. (You may have to add a little flour or water while kneading to achieve this texture.) Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Mist the counter with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and 14 inches wide by 12 inches long for larger buns, or 18 inches wide by 9 inches long for smaller buns. Don’t roll out the dough too thin, or the finished buns will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling over the surface of the dough and roll the dough up into a cigar-shaped log creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces about 1 ¾ inches thick for larger rolls or 12 to 16 pieces about 1 ¼ inches thick for smaller rolls.

Line one or more sheet pans with baking parchment. Place the buns approximately ½ inch apart so they aren’t touching but are close to one another.

Proof at room temperature for 75-90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size. You may also retard the shaped buns in refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling the pan out of the refrigerator 3-4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof.

Preheat the oven to 350° with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the rollss in the pan for about 10 minutes and then streak white fondant glaze across the tops, while the rolls are warm but not too hot (see instructions below). Remove the buns from the pan and place them on a cooling rack. Wait for at least 20 minutes before serving.

White fondant glaze for cinnamon rolls:Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add lemon or orange extract and 6 tbsp. to ½ cup warm milk, briskly whisking until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk slowly and only as much as needed to make a thick, smooth paste.

When the rolls have cooled but are still warm, streak the glaze over them by dipping the tines of a fork or a whisk into the glaze and waving the fork or whisk over the tops.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Baklava

This recipe comes from one of the best kind of cookbooks - an old church cookbook - published in 1957.  It's a cookbook that my dad's great Aunt helped put together and one that his mom & great aunt often used when cooking and baking Greek foods.

Baklava
2 1/2 sticks butter, clarified (melted on the stove, with the foam skimmed off the top)
1 lb chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
~1 lb phyllo dough

Combine walnuts and spices in a large bowl and mix.  Brush bottom of a 9x9 pan with butter, and then lay one pastry sheet down.  Brush with butter, and repeat until there are 4 layers of phyllo.  You'll have to trim the sheets to fit.  Add a thin layer of the walnut/spice mixture, then add a layer of phyllo and brush with butter.  Keep repeating a think layer of walnuts & 1 sheet of phyllo until the walnut mixture runs out, then finish with 4 sheets of phyllo with butter brushed on each.  Slice into diamond shapes before baking: slice into ~5 rows, then cut diagonally down each row.  Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes, until top is brown.

Vanilla Bean Honey Syrup
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 honey
1 cinnamon stick
vanilla bean seeds from 1 vanilla bean
(you can also add the scraped vanilla bean to the mixture and remove with the cinnamon stick)

While baklava is baking, make the syrup.  Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove cinnamon stick, and pour over the baklava when you take  it out of the oven.

Syrup recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats

Santa Hat Cupcakes

If you think Santa is sick of cookies, you may want to leave him one of these cupcakes, instead.

Simply use your favorite cupcake recipe, and whip up a batch of your favorite frosting.  Save a small portion of the frosting, then color the rest red.  Use a large piping tip (I used Ateco 807) to pipe the hat, and a small star tip (Wilton 18) for the final touches.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake Roll

This Peppermint Chocolate Cake Roll is a delicious holiday treat.  The cake is light and springy, and the buttercream has just the right amount of peppermint and a nice crunch from the sprinkles.

The poured chocolate ganache is a beautiful final touch to this treat, giving it a dark glossy finish.  Don't be scared of the genoise cake, it's really not difficult to make and is totally worth it!

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Roll


The genoise cake instructions are very detailed, so I'll direct you to Martha Stewart's recipe, which is what I followed exactly.

Buttercream
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp heavy cream
1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip with a wire whisk for 5 minutes.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar, then the heavy cream and peppermint extract with the mixer on low.  Turn the mixer back up to high and whip for 2 more minutes.  If desired, add in 1/3 to 1/2 cup sprinkles by folding in with a spatula before spreading on cake roll.

To assemble, unroll the cake roll, and spread buttercream evenly.  Roll back up and place on a wire rack.

Ganache
1 cup dark chocolate
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1-3 Tbsp water

Place chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments in microwave until almost melted. Stir to melt completely, then add vanilla and powdered sugar.  Add water to get to a pourable consistency, and pour over cake roll.  Decorate with crushed candy canes or sprinkles as desired.

Pretty Peppermint Marshmallows

Homemade marshmallows taste so different than store-bought marshmallows you're used to.  The homemade version is soft and creamy and has a very fresh taste to it, nothing like the borderline stale rubbery marshmallows that come in plastic bags.  And while they seem intimidating to make, if you have a stand mixer they're really no work at all!

To make these extra festive, I added some peppermint extract and a little red food coloring.  I can't wait to float a few of these in a mug of hot cocoa!

Peppermint Marshmallows
makes a 9x9 pan
3 (.25 oz each) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
red gel food coloring

Prepare a 9x9 pan by lining with a piece of plastic wrap and spraying with cooking spray.
Pour the 1/2 cup cold water and 3 packets of gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 10 minutes. Add sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Let boil rapidly for 1 minute, then turn on stand mixer to high and pour down the side of the mixer bowl into the gelatin.  Add salt and beat on high for 12 minutes.  Add peppermint extract and mix well.  At this point you can add the red food color and mix until marbled or fully incorporated.  Coat a spatula or your hands with cooking spray and pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and even out.  Cover the pan with another piece of plastic wrap coated with spray.  Let sit 2 hours, then cut into desired shapes, then roll in powdered sugar.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Martha Stewart

All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake

This cake takes all the favorite flavors of the holidays and bakes them up into one tasty treat.  Apple, Pumpkin, & Cranberries are all mixed into the cake spiced with cinnamon and ginger.  I used my new favorite glaze to top this cake and give it a sparkly finish.

All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake
recipe from Dorie Greenspan
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 sticks (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 cup cranberries, chopped coarsely
optional: 1 cup pecans, chopped coarsely

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and ginger in a large bowl and set aside.

Beat butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute in between eggs.  Beat in vanilla, then reduce speed of mixer to low and add in pumpkin and apple.  Next, add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cranberries and pecans.  Transfer batter to a bundt pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Egg Nog Pound Cake

I am a fan of eggnog, but I think that this cake would be delicious even if you weren't.  The eggnog flavor isn't overpowering, and you get just a hint of nutmeg.

The cake itself is light and buttery, with a crunchy sugar vanilla rum glaze that sparkles (so pretty!)

Eggnog Pound Cake
3 cups flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt & nutmeg and set aside.  Beat the butter in the bowl of the stand mixer until creamy & smooth (about 1 minute).  Add the sugar slowly, and beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Next, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing completely after each addition.  Turn the mixer down to low, and add the flour mixture in 4 additions, alternating with the eggnog and vanilla in 3 additions.  Mix until completely incorporated, then spoon mixture into a prepared Bundt or tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes.

Crystal Sugar Glaze
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp dark rum (or light rum + 1/4 tsp vanilla)
2 tbsp water

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  Let cake sit 10 minutes after removed from oven, then turn out onto a wire rack limed with parchment.  Pour the glaze over the cake slowly and let cool completely before serving.

Recipe from My Baking Addiction

Bailey's Vanilla Bean Fudge

This fudge tastes just like a glass of bailey's and cream.  The Bailey's isn't overpowering, but the flavor is definitely there.  It's creamy & smooth and the vanilla bean flecks add a punch of vanilla flavor and pretty specks throughout the fudge.

Bailey's Vanilla Bean Fudge
yield 64 pieces
2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream
2 cups (~12 oz) good quality white chocolate chips
seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean
7 oz marshmallow creme

Line a 9x9 pan with parchment or foil.  Combine sugar, butter, cream, and Bailey's in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and use a candy thermometer and cook until 234 degrees (should take 7-10 minutes), stirring constantly.  Once the mixture hits 234 degrees, remove from heat and add chocolate chips.  Stir until the chips have melted and the chocolate is smooth.  Add vanilla bean seeds and marshmallow creme and mix until well blended.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and cool until room temp.  Cut into ~1x1 squares and enjoy!

Recipe from Not So Humble Pie

Colorful Swirl Cookies

Today is the last day of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies series.  These colorful swirl cookies were a bit of a challenge to make, but the end result is so pretty!  I'm going to try making these one more time, with red & white, to coordinate.

These can easily be adapted to any season by changing the color and the sprinkles.  The directions are kind of long, so here is the source I used for the Christmas version (Our Italian Kitchen), which was adapted from Sprinkles Bakes.

Enjoy!  & stay tuned for a lot more Christmas recipes in the next two weeks!

Gingerbread Snowflakes

These gingerbread snowflakes are perfectly spicy and perfectly pretty.  I love the snowflakes, but I also made some cutout reindeer, along with mini & regular sized gingerbread men.

Don't be scared about the pepper, you won't be able to pick out the flavor once everything is mixed together :)

Gingerbread Cookies
yield 24 cookies
6 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground gloves
1 tsp finely ground pepper (do it!)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup molasses

Sift together flour, baking powder & baking soda; set aside.  Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then mix in spices, salt, eggs, and molasses.  With the mixer on low, add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Divide into thirds and refrigerate one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick and cut out snowflakes (or whatever shape desired).  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.  Bake cookies 12-14 minutes, until crisp.  Cool on wire rack, then decorate with royal icing and sanding sugar.

Spritz Butter Cookies

It's the first day of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Series!  Over the next 12 days, I'm going to be sharing my favorite Christmas cookies with you!

First up are Spritz Butter cookies.  I'll be honest that I've never made these before, and the only ones I remember trying are the hard, tasteless cookies from the store that came in a plastic container.  However, I managed to snag a cookie press at 75% off at last year's after Christmas sales, so Spritz cookies it is :)

I searched through a few recipes to find one that I hoped would be the best.  The addition of the cream cheese in this recipe was ultimately what made me choose it.  I knew it would give the cookies a rich, creamy flavor that can't be achieved by only butter.

The recipe also called for cinnamon and orange zest, which are both usually welcomed ingredients.  I added just half of the cinnamon and omitted the orange zest, as I wanted a more pure butter flavored cookie.


Buttery Snowflake Spritz Cookies
yield: 6 dozen
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together flour, salt, and cinnamon, set aside.  Cream together butter and cream cheese, add sugar and egg yolk and beat until fluffy.  Mix in vanilla, then gradually add dry ingredients. Follow instructions for filling cookie press.  Add colored sugar sprinkles if desired, then bake for 12-15 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.  Store in an airtight container; will keep well frozen.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Mini Pumpkin Pies

These little pies are perfect for when a craving hits and you don't want a whole pie sitting around your house.  The fact that they look like little pumpkins is just a bonus.  For extra cuteness, you can used melted chocolate in a piping bag to draw jack o'lantern faces after baking!

Using a large pumpkin cookie cutter, cut out a piece of your favorite pie dough (homemade or store bought - I won't tell!) & press it down into a cupcake tin (no liner or nonstick spray needed!)  Fill with pumpkin pie mixture & bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  These baby pumpkins popped right out of the pan after cooling!  Top with some fresh whipped heavy cream & enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Filling
makes 12 mini pies*


1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup evaporated milk

Mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, spices, pumpkin & eggs, then add milk.  Stir until well combined.  Fill muffin tin about 2/3 full (should be about 1/4 cup).  Bake 20 minutes at 375 & let cool before removing from tin.

Pie filling adapted from Martha Stewart
*filling recipe can be doubled to fill a 9" pie

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

If there is only room for one dessert on your holiday table, this should be it!

A graham cracker crust, filled with a layer of caramel and pecans, topped with a layer of apples sauteed with brown sugar & cinnamon, and a layer of creamy cheesecake.  Whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel & a sprinkle of pecans add the finishing touch to this delicious dessert.

Want one for Thanksgiving?  Check out my Holiday Treats page for ordering information.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Halloween Bumpy Cakes

Special bumpy cupcakes just for Halloween!

 Super easy... just add a few drops of orange food coloring to the "bump"...

Cover in chocolate ganache & top with sprinkles.

 When someone bites into it... fun Halloween Bumpy Cakes!

Candy Corn Cupcakes for Halloween

These cupcakes are super cute and super easy to make.  Mix up a batch of your favorite vanilla cupcake batter, and divide into bowls in three equal parts.  Keep one bowl plain, and color the others, one yellow and one orange.  Spoon about two tablespoons of each batter into the cupcake liners, layering white, then yellow, and finally the orange.  Bake as directed, and frost with your favorite icing!  Add sprinkles or a candy corn on top.

Galakto-whato?

These rolls have become an Easter tradition in our family.  The Greek name for them is Galaktoboureko, which I'm not even sure I can say correctly, but we just call them farina rolls.
 

Farina, more commonly known as semolina, or cream of wheat, is cooked into a custard with milk and eggs, and then rolled into sheets of phyllo dough which have been generously brushed with melted butter.  They are baked up until golden brown and crispy, and are then doused in a simple syrup flavored with cinnamon, amp; vanilla, & sometimes orange or lemon.  Completely delicious served right out of the oven, and just as good served room temperature the next day - they may be the perfect dessert.  I've also seen had this served up as a pie, but it's just more fun to eat in cute little cigar sized rolls :)

I was lucky enough to receive a reprinted copy of an old church cookbook that my Grandma used to cook out of, so I know this recipe is as authentic as it gets.

Galaktoboureko
For the custard:
1/2 cup farina/semolina/cream of wheat (not instant!)
3 cups milk
4 egg
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
zest of one orange (optional)

Heat the milk over medium heat until warmed through.  Combine eggs, farina & sugar in another bowl, then add to milk mixture.Continue to cook over medium-low heat until it thickens (approximately 10 minutes).  Add butter and vanilla, then let cool completely before proceeding.

To make the rolls:
You'll need 1 lb of phyllo dough, thawed, and 1 stick of butter (at least!) melted.

Cut one sheet of phyllo in half (the short way), brush with butter and fold in half (the short side, again).  Add a tablespoon of custard, roll the top over once, then fold the sides in and roll the rest of the way.  Repeat until all the custard is used or you run out of phyllo.  When you finish each roll, place into a jelly roll pan and keep covered with a damp towel, as you would with the unused phyllo.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.  When rolls come out of the oven pour the simply syrup on them while they are still hot.

Syrup
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cinnamon stick
lemon or orange peel

Boil sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and fruit peel until thickened.  Remove peel and stir in vanilla.  Let cool before using.

It's all Greek to me...

Tsoureki is a traditional Greek Easter bread that is sweet & spiced & rich like brioche.  It often has a red egg (or two) baked into it to represent new life (the egg) & the blood of Christ (the red).

Or sometimes the eggs are pink, because the packet of Greek red egg dye your Aunt sent you has instructions that include measurements such as "a bowl of water" and "a glass of vinegar" & you just have to guess at how much to use.  Regardless, the loaf was pretty from being braided & brushed with an egg washed and topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, & I got to cook out of a cookbook that my Grandma used.

I'm not going to include a recipe for this because I wasn't 100% happy with the recipe.  It called for 3 teaspoons of salt for 1 loaf of bread.  Of sweet bread.  I had to read it a couple times, and considered altering it, but it was from an old church cookbook, so I went with it.  And my bread was salty.  Next year, i'll know to not use as much salt & be sure to find some mahlepi (a seasoning made with ground cherry stones) to make it even more authentic.