Vasilopita (New Year Bread)
photo by suetming
- Ready In:
- 14mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Yields:
-
1 loaf
ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 3⁄4 cup milk, lukewarm
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons grated orange rind
- 3⁄4 cup caster sugar
- 4 1⁄2 cups plain flour
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground masticha
- 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
- 1 egg, for glazing
- blanched split almonds
directions
- Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the milk.
- Add remainder of milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar.
- Sift 3 cups flour, salt and spices into a warm bowl and make a wellin the centre.
- Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour, gradually adding warm melted butter.
- Mix dough with hands until it comes away from sides.
- Turn on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining flour as required.
- Knead for 10 minutes.
- Place ball of dough in a clean bowl brushed with melted butter.
- Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap.
- Leave to prove (rise) in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
- Punch down and turn on to lightly floured surface.
- Knead lightly and shape into a round loaf.
- Place on a large greased baking sheet or in a greased 10 inch deep cake tin.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Glaze with well-beaten egg and arrange blanched almonds in numbers to denote the New Year, pressing in lightly.
- Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested.
- If bread browns too quickly place a piece of greased brown paper on top.
- Cool on a wire rack.
Reviews
-
Absolutely delicious sweet bread recipe. My children usually don't eat the Vasilopita after we discover the lucky coin on New Years, however, this year they devoured it! I substituted the Masticha with 1 tsp clementine rind and 1 tsp anise. Moist, flavorful and by the way, I won the coin this year:)
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
basia1
United States
Recently married, I live in South Florida. I enjoy cooking and entertaining when I can. We recently bought a house and are trying to get our lives together. My husband loves me trying new recipes (as long as they don't have veggies!) which is great, because I love to try them. Everyone that comes to our house becomes a taste tester. :)