Tsoureki – Greek Easter Bread

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Beautiful Bread, Easter, Great British Bake Off, Mahleb, Mastika, Panissimo, Paul Hollywood, Tsoureki, World Baking Day

Tsoureki is a traditional Greek Easter bread. It is very fragrant and flavoursome, with a texture almost like brioche, and has a distinctive aroma and taste, coming mostly from the characteristic Greek flavourings of mahleb and mastika. I must admit I’m not sure how traditional my version is, as there are a few added ingredients that I suspect are not very orthodox. I have also left out the 3 bright red hard boiled eggs with which it is often adorned to symbolise the Holy Trinity and the blood of Christ. But for all that, it is a beautiful thing, both in appearance and flavour.

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Rum Plum Buns (Cross but not so Hot)

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Cinnamon, Easter, Fresh from the oven, Hot cross bun, Prunes, Rum, sour cream

This variation on hot cross buns was inspired by a visit to the Felin Fach Griffin pub in the Brecon Beacons (highly recommended, both for the accommodation and for the food). We stayed overnight, and at breakfast there was a bowl of prunes which had been poached with quartered oranges, complete with their peel, and cinnamon. With a dollop of thick, creamy yoghurt, these were truly delicious, and completely changed my previously lukewarm opinion of stewed prunes. I have tried to capture those wonderful flavours in these buns.

Dove Tales 1: Colomba Pasquale

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Aroma Veneziana, Colomba Pasquale, Easter

Colomba Pasquale is an Easter bread (or cake) from Italy, and is rather like an intensely orangey panettone, baked in the shape of a dove, and topped with a crunchy coating of almonds and sugar. It’s increasingly available for sale in the UK, and I have always found it delicious. However I could not resist the challenge of trying to make it for myself. It’s not the easiest or quickest of recipes, but the end result is immensely rewarding.

Hot Cross Buns

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Crosses on hot cross buns, Easter, Hot cross bun, Tea Time Treats

Although in our 24 x 7 x 365 society Hot Cross Buns are available all year round, it still seems appropriate to make an effort to make them for yourself at Easter. I must say that my previous attempts have always been disappointing in one regard. That is the crosses. Call me obsessive, but I do want them to be distinct and neat, like the ones on the buns you buy. But I had never yet achieved that.