Easter Bread
It's important that you know this recipe makes so much god damned bread. If you think to yourself 'oh, I've got a group of people, we can eat this bread together!' you should half this recipe. This was designed to feed an entire greek extended family for a weekend's worth of breakfasts, you will have enough bread to break fast every day from now till the cows come home. It has been left in its original aspect ratio not as a recommendation, but as a nod to tradition. You may want to half or even quarter the quantities seen here.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2&1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed mastic (can substitute with vanilla, amaretto, or half a jigger of whiskey)
- 4-6 packages dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 14-16 cups flour (about 4lbs.)
Procedure
- Heat milk until bubbling, then stir in sugar, butter, mastic, and salt. Cool until warm.
- In another bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
- In a third bowl, beat eggs. Add in milk mixture, yeast, and two cups flour. Blend.
- Mix in the rest of the flour slowly, stopping when the dough is sufficiently bread-like.
- Place dough in covered pot(s) and let rise in warm place for two hours.
- Knead the dough and shape it into loaves. This can be done by splitting the dough into three strands, rolling until the length of the loaf pan, and braiding them together.
- If desired, place a dyed egg into the braid.
- Let rise agian in a warm place, this time for 45 minutes. Place a damp cloth over the loaves to prevent the top from drying.
- Brush the top of the loaves with beaten egg.
- Bake at 325 for 25-40 minutes, or until baked through.
- Serve and enjoy!