Tsoureki style braided bread
Serves : 8
Prep time : 25 min
Cook time : 30-35 min
Ingredients
- 550 g all purpose flour
- 80 g cane sugar (+ 1 tsp.)
- 250 g whole milk
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 1 egg + 1 yolk
- 80 g melted butter
- Orange zest (optional)
- Vanilla paste (optional)
- 1 egg for brushing
Filling:
- 1 tsp. room temperature butter
- 150 g (1/2 cup) dark chocolate (about 40-50% cocoa)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup 25 g cocoa powder
- 30 g (2 tbsp.) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup LA BELLE EXCUSE olive oil for brushing
- 15 g (1 tbsp.) LA BELLE EXCUSE fleur de sel
Steps
- Heat 150 g milk until it gets lukewarm then add the 1 tsp. sugar and fresh yeast to it. Put aside for 10-15 min.
- In a bowl mix the flour and sugar together then add the yeast mixture to it and start to mix it.
- Pour the remaining 100 g milk into to the mixture then add the eggs. Last add the melted butter and the orange zest, vanilla.
- Mix it until it gets divided from the bowl. If you would find the dough to sticky you can always add one or two spoons of flour.
- Cover the dough with a plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and let it proof for 45 minutes or until it grows double.
- Mix all the ingredients for the filling, except the olive oil and fleur de sel.
- After proofing roll out the dough on a floured surface – approximately the same size as your baking pan (38x33cm). Then brush a generous amount of LA BELLE EXCUSE olive oil, put the filling on it and spread it equally with a spatula. Sprinkle LA BELLE EXCUSE fleur de sel to taste.
- Roll the dough up from the longer side and cut it through the middle with a sharp knife.
- Brade them together, cover again and let it rest for an additional 20 min meanwhile preheat the oven for 175 celsius.
- Brush the bread with the whole egg and bake it for 30-35 min.