Greek braided sweet egg bread for Easter, perfumed with mahleb (ground cherry-pit kernel) and mastic. The Mediterranean cousin to challah, with red-dyed egg in each loaf.
Greek Orthodox Easter bread, recorded since the Byzantine era. The three-strand braid represents the Holy Trinity; the red-dyed egg baked into the top symbolizes Christ's blood and resurrection. Constantinople's 19th-century Greek bakers fixed the mahleb-and-mastic perfume that defines the modern version.
Mastic comes only from Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia trees on the Greek island of Chios — PDO-protected since 1997. About 150g of resin yields enough flavoring for 50 tsoureki loaves. Athenian Easter outlets like Takis Bakery (Plaka) sell 2,000+ braids in Holy Week.
Glossy mahogany braid, 35cm long, soft pull-apart strands. Aroma is unmistakable — cherry-almond from mahleb, pine-resin lift from mastic. Crumb is feathery, slightly sweet, eggy-rich. The red egg is decorative; eat it Sunday after midnight Mass with friends.
Enriched dough — high egg, butter, milk, sugar — slow-proofed twice, total 4-6 hours. Mahleb (1 tsp) and mastic resin (¼ tsp, ground with sugar) added at mixing. Shaped into three strands and braided tightly; egg-washed twice for shine. Baked 170°C, lower than most breads, to protect the egg-rich crumb.
Variations
Athenian three-strand (the standard, mahleb + mastic, red egg), Smyrniot four-strand (richer, more butter, no mastic), Pontic Greek six-strand (Black Sea diaspora version with walnuts), and the Cypriot flaouna-tsoureki (Easter only, with halloumi and raisins folded in).
On the Palate
Where Tsoureki sits in the Greek flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8
How it's made
7 steps · 30 min active + 3 hours 45 min waiting
- 115 min
Mix 600 g flour, 250 ml warm milk, 100 g butter, 100 g sugar, 2 eggs, 15 g yeast, 1 tsp mahleb, 1/2 tsp mastic.
- 212 min
Knead until elastic.
Watch outKnead past sticky until the dough turns smooth and springs back when poked — the butter and egg make it slack at first, so give it time.
- 3120 min
First rise 2 hr until doubled.
- 410 min
Divide into 3 strands; braid; tuck a red-dyed boiled egg pressed into the braid.
- 560 min
Second rise 1 hr.
- 63 min
Brush with egg wash; sprinkle slivered almonds.
Watch outBrush the egg wash thin and even into every seam of the braid; pooled wash bakes into dark sticky patches.
- 735 min
Bake at 170 °C for 30–35 min until deep golden.
Watch outPull it at deep chestnut-gold — the low oven is gentle, so go by color, and tent with foil if the top browns before the center sets.
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