What is Greek Honey Cake (Melopita)

Greek Honey Cake is also known as Melopita and is a traditional honey cake made on the Greek island of Sifnos, in the Cyclades. It is a little like a cheesecake because it uses ricotta cheese and is very simple to make.

• Classic honey cake: the traditional recipe only uses six main ingredients.
• Delicious for any occasion: the cake works well at any time of the year.

What you’ll need to make Greek Honey Cake the traditional way

While ricotta isn’t a Greek cheese and instead comes from Italy, it is a big part of making this cake the traditional way. The traditional recipe uses anthotyro, but it’s really hard to find outside Greece.

Tip: Aim for the best ricotta you can afford, otherwise the end result may contain too much water, and will be prone to splitting. If you can only get watery ricotta, strain it for a couple of hours before using to remove as much liquid as you can.

Greek Honey Cake Key Ingredients

For the mixture of melopita: You’ll need ricotta cheese and runny honey along with eggs, cornflour and vanilla extract or bean paste for the cake. Olive oil and lemon zest are the final ingredients.

For the topping: More runny honey and some ground cinnamon will be used to top the cake once it is cooled.

Key Preparation Tips

There are just two main steps to making this recipe:

1. Prepare the melopita cake
2. Finish and decorate the cake

Prepare the melopita cake

Start by preheating the oven to 160C or 320F. Grease a spring form tin with a little olive oil, I usually use an 18cm or 7 inch one. Add some baking parchment to the bottom and the sides.

In a large bowl, beat the ricotta with a wooden spoon or whisk until it is smooth then beat in the honey. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly then add the cornflour, vanilla and lemon zest.

Using a scraper to get the mixture into the baking tin and smooth it with the back of a spoon to get a level finish.

Tip: If you want to change a little of the flavor, you can substitute the lemon zest for orange zest.

Finish and decorate the cake

Bake the melopita in the oven until it is set, usually around 30 minutes. It will have some color around the sides.

Leave the cake to cool then transfer it to a plate from the tin. Add enough honey to cover the top and sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.

My melopita isn’t rising did I do something wrong?

It is worth remembering that this is a flat and dense cake mixture so don’t panic if it doesn’t rise while in the oven.

The Greek name melopita features ‘pita’ which means flat so the cake is more like a cheesecake than a sponge cake. But it does tend to stick like a baked cheesecake, so don’t forget to line the sides of the pan.

Variations of Greek Honey cake

The traditional Melopita from the island of Sifnos is this simple and beloved version with no other additions. But one can also find some variations using phyllo dough as a base.

Also it is very common to use a base made from crushed biscuits, melted butter and a pinch of cinnamon, like this no bake cheesecake. So feel free to experiment!

Making ahead of time and storing

You can make this Greek honey cake cake ahead of time by carrying out the first steps and then stopping before cooking. Then simply cook when you are ready to serve and add the topping.

Keep any unused portions in the fridge due to the ricotta cheese and use them within 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions

The cake can be served on its own or you can top it with some vanilla ice cream. Whipped cream would also work if you want to offset the sweetness of the honey a little. And of course, some crushed walnuts on top will give that extra crunchiness you may look for!

More recipes to try 

If you love Greek honey, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Baklava Cheesecake 
• Greek Yogurt with Honey and Walnuts
• Traditional Baklava with honey and walnuts
• Loukoumades (Greek Honey puffs)
• Greek Christmas Pastry with honey (diples)
• Tiganites (Greek Style pancakes with Honey and walnuts)
• Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Honey cookies)

Greek Honey cake (Melopita Sifnou)

(82 votes, average: 4.87 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 60 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you are looking for a sweet treat with only 15′ prep time, then this Greek Honey Cake (Melopita Sifnos) is a simple and delicious cake to make that will satisfy your craving!

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Ingredients

• olive oil
• 660g ricotta (1 lb, 7 1/4 oz), at room temperature 
• 100ml runny honey (5 1/2 tbsp), plus extra for drizzling
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• zest 1/2 lemon
• ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F). Grease a round loose bottomed 18cm (7 inch) cake tin with a little olive oil before lining both the bottom and the sides with baking parchment. 
2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon or a whisk to beat the ricotta until smooth. Beat in the honey, followed by the eggs, one by one, the cornflour, the vanilla, and the lemon zest.
3. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with the back of your spoon. 
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the middle is set not jiggly, and it has started to colour around the sides.
5. Leave to cool in the tin before transferring to a plate and drizzling with just enough honey to cover the top, and sprinkling with a generous amount of cinnamon. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek honey cake, melopita, ricotta cake, honey cake

The post Greek Honey cake (Melopita Sifnos) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Greek New Years bread (Vasilopita Tsoureki)?

If you’re looking for a delicious and unique way to ring in the New Year, you may want to try making Vasilopita Tsoureki, a traditional Greek sweet bread.

There are two main variations of Vasilopita – the Vasilopita cake version, and the tsoureki dough version, which is this recipe here, kind of the same as an easter Tsoureki but rather shaped in a tin! Tsoureki is typically made with a brioche-like dough.

After baking the Vasilopita bread, a lucky coin is inserted through the base, and it’s said that whoever finds the coin in their slice will have good luck in the new year. Greek New Years bread is usually decorated with glaze or icing sugar and it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the cake.

Classic Greek New Year recipe: The dish is served in Greek homes on New Year.
Lots of ways to personalise it: You can change the nut flavours and decoration to suit your taste.

Vasilopita Tsoureki Key Ingredients

For the Greek New Years bread: You need the basic instant yeast, water, sugar, milk and butter for the bread. Add to that some mastic teardrops and ground mahleb. I use a strong bread flour with salt and eggs and add orange zest and a vanilla pod for extra flavor.

For the glaze: This is made with water, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and flaked almonds.

Vasilopita bread Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps to making your own New Year vasilopita bread :

1. Combine the bread ingredients
2. Work the dough
3. Cook the bread
4. Add the New Year coin and decorate

Combine the bread ingredients

Add the sugar, milk and butter to a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Stir it often until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Then take it off the heat and let it cool down some.

Meanwhile, combine the yeast and tepid water in a large mixing bowl. Whisk it until frothy.

Start by pounding the mastic with a mortar and pestle. Add the mahleb to prevent it from sticking and continue to grind until it’s finely crushed.

In a mixing dish of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest, and spice mixture.

Place the flour, salt, sugar, butter and milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently but consistently for about 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and vanilla seeds (if using).

Thoroughly mix the two mixtures together using a fork until it forms a rough dough.

Work the dough

To knead the dough, attach the dough hook and mix for 15 minutes until the texture is smooth, tight and stretchy. Then, use a scraper or spatula to form it into a ball shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 2 hours so it can double in size.

Meanwhile, line an 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) with a round of baking parchment and butter it well before placing it in the oven to preheat.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and expel any air bubbles if necessary. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal-sized pieces.

Roll the dough into ropes that are half stretched and half rolled. They should be about 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) in thickness. Pinch the top of the rope to bring all the strands together, then braid them.

Be sure to not leave any air pockets between the strand, but also don’t stretch the dough too much as you braid it. Once you’ve finished braiding, shape it into a coil and tuck the ends underneath so it’s tidy looking.

After braiding, transfer the dough to a prepared tin and let it rise for another two hours.

Cook the Vasilopita bread and finish with the glaze

Preheat oven to 150C (300F) 30 minutes before the end of the proofing time. Bake the vasilopita tsoureki until it is a little risen, golden in colour, and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool completely before removing from the baking tin.

While the vasilopita bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan over a medium stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

For the decoration, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to create the glaze. If you desire, push a coin into the base of the bread before spooning it over the cake so it falls in between slices. Add almonds for garnish.

Finally, it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the New Year bread. Get some nice New Year decorations and place them on the Vasilopita bread.

What are mastic teardrops and ground mahleb?

Mastic (masticha) teardrops and ground mahlab or mahleb (mahlepi) are two traditional ingredients used in Mediterranean cooking. Mastic is a resin that is harvested from the bark of the mastic tree, and it has a slightly piney flavor. Ground mahleb is made from the kernels of St. Lucie cherries, and it has a sweet, nutty taste.

These two ingredients are often used together in recipes for sweets and baked goods, as they complement each other perfectly. In addition to their flavor, mastic teardrops and ground mahleb also have unique textures that make them interesting additions to any dish.

Making ahead of time and storing

Everyone knows that the best Vasilopita Tsoureki is always made fresh. But luckily, there are a few easy ways to keep it fresh for longer. For example, you can store it in an airtight container for a few days.

Or if you want it to keep for longer, portion out your vasilopita in slices and freeze them. Defrost it when you’re ready to eat. Simply defrost the bread overnight, and then enjoy it fresh anytime you want!

And of course, don’t forget to make your melomakarona, kourabiedes, diples and kariokes(walnut filled chocolate crescents) to complete your Christmas and New Year’s platter!

Finally, to discover more Greek Christmas traditions and customs to celebrate with your loved ones have a look at my article on Greek Christmas traditions and customs.

Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread)

(101 votes, average: 4.91 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 4 hours 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 pieces
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Vasilopita bread is a sweet treat that is served on New Year, but it’s quite challenging to make. No worries! I’ve got you covered! Get your little helpers and follow my step by step recipe to create the perfect aromatic Vasilopita tsoureki to welcome the New Year!

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Ingredients

For the Vasilopita Tsoureki bread

• 110g sugar (3 3/4 oz)
• 75ml milk (5 tbsp)
• 60g butter (2 oz), plus extra for the pan
• 12g instant yeast (1/2 oz)
• 65ml tepid water (1/4 cup)
• 1–2 mastic teardrops
• 1 1/2 tsp ground mahleb
• 435g strong bread flour (15 1/4 oz), plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• zest of 1/2 large orange
• 2 large eggs
• seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod (optional)

For the glaze

• 20g flaked almonds (3/4 oz) 
• 50g powdered sugar (1 3/4 oz), sieved to remove any lumps
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp water

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Instructions

Prepare the dough for Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. To prepare this Vasilopita tsoureki bread recipe start by making the dough first.

2. Combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan and set over a medium low heat. Allow to heat through, whisking often until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the yeast and the tepid water and set aside until frothy.

4. Using a mortar and pestle, start to crush the mastic. To stop it sticking and to help break it down, add the mahleb and continue to grind to a powder.

5. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest and the spice mix, and set aside.

6. Lightly whisk the eggs in the bottom of a large mixing jug. Still whisking, gradually add the sugar, butter and milk mixture, which so not to cook the eggs should now be cool enough for you to comfortably hold your finger in. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and the vanilla seeds, if using.

7. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture using a fork, bringing the whole thing together into a rough dough.

8. With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 15 minutes until the dough is smooth, tight and stretchy. Using a dough scraper or a spatula scrape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving it until it has at least doubled in size – this should take about 2 hours.

Form the Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back any air bubbles. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal sized pieces.

2. Taking each piece of dough between your palms, half stretch, half roll the dough into roughly 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) ropes. Pinch these together at the top and shape into a braid; not loose enough that there are any air pockets between the strands, but not too tight that the dough is stretched any further. Shape the plaited rope into a coil, tucking the ends underneath the coil to tidy it up.

3. Generously butter a 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) before lining it with a round of baking parchment.

4. Transfer the shaped dough to the prepared tin and cover again to rise again for another 2 hours.

Bake the Greek New years bread

1. Towards the end of the proofing time, pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F). Bake the dough for 30 minutes until risen a little, golden, and if you carefully slide the bread from the tin and tap it on the bottom, it sounds hollow. Leave to cool completely.

Decorate the Vasilopita bread

1. While the bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan set over a medium heat, and set aside.

2. To decorate, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to make the glaze. Push a coin, wrapped in aluminum foil into the base of the bread so it can be found in one of the slices, then spoon the glaze over the cake, pushing it around with the back of your spoon to make sure it falls into all the coils. Scatter with the toasted almonds, and serve.

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Keywords: vasilopita tsoureki, greek new years bread, vasilopita bread recipe

The post Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So let’s get started! Read on to discover my tips and tricks to make your bread machine tsoureki to perfection, step by step photos and of course my bread machine specific recipe!

What is Tsoureki?

Easy bread machine Tsoureki key ingredients

• Flour: To make the perfect Tsoureki you will need to get yourself some strong white flour, also known as bread flour. It is high in protein, gluten, and it will help your tsoureki get a deliciously chewy and stringy texture and not fall apart when baking.
• Spices – mahlab, cardamom, mastic: What gives a traditional tsoureki its amazing smell and taste are its spices. You’ll need to get yourself some mahlab – it is a sweet smelling berry that gives off an almond-y, cherry like smell. You can find some either on Amazon or your local Greek or Arab deli. You’ll also need to get some cardamom powder, which will give the tsoureki a subtly woody smell. I also love using some mastic resin that gives the tsoureki a delicious smell that reminds me of pine and cedar.
• Orange zest: I love adding some orange zest to my tsoureki. I find it balances out the earthy spices with a delicious citrusy smell.
• Butter, Milk, Eggs: You’ll need some good quality unsalted butter made from cows milk. Also full fat milk and some good quality fresh eggs. The butter, milk and eggs enrich the dough and give it that delicious soft texture and also its color! I personally love picking the golden yolk eggs variety as they give the dough an amazing golden color!
• Instant yeast: You will need to get some instant yeast, also known as quick yeast or easy bake yeast to make this tsoureki in your bread machine. It is fast acting, it doesn’t need dissolving in water and is perfectly suited for bread machine use! If you only have dry active yeast, dissolve it in the water before adding it in the bread machine.
• Sugar: You’ll need some plain regular granulated sugar, which is super common in all supermarkets.
• Almond slivers: To garnish your tsoureki!

How to make your Tsoureki in your bread machine

Making a tsoureki in a bread machine could not be simpler! The bread machine will do all the hard work for you, kneading the dough and proofing it at the right temperature, resulting in the perfect tsoureki dough with no effort at all. You just need to:

1. Put the ingredients in the bread machine bowl and run the dough cycle
2. Let it proof until it has doubled in size
3. Shape it into a loose braid and let it proof until it has doubled in size again
4. Bake it in your oven

Preparing the tsoureki dough in your bread machine

Proofing your bread machine tsoureki dough

As the tsoureki dough is stiffer than a traditional brioche dough, it needs a lot longer to proof than most bread machine dough cycles allow for. Luckily there are a couple of ways to do that.

If your bread machine has a proofing setting, you are in luck! Set it and let the easy tsoureki dough proof for around 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size, as shown in the picture below. 

If your bread machine doesn’t have a proofing setting but has a sourdough starter setting, use that. It does exactly the same thing, setting the bread machine temperature to 30C/86F which is the perfect temperature to proof doughs! 

If you have an older bread machine model that doesn’t have a proofing or a sourdough starter cycle, then simply leave the tsoureki dough in the bread machine with the lid shut. It will take a little longer (around 4 hours) to proof as the temperature will drop, but it will still work great to proof your tsoureki dough. 

Whichever way you use, the dough is done proofing when it has doubled in size, its puffy and is almost doming out from the bread machine bowl as shown below.

Give your bread machine tsoureki dough as much time as it needs to reach this stage. It should take around 3 to 4 hours, but if it needs a bit longer, let it do its thing.

Shaping your bread machine tsoureki

Once your dough is ready, its time to start shaping your tsoureki bread. You’ll need to tip out the tsoureki dough from the bread machine bowl, gently deflate it and split it into three equal portions. I always use my scale to weight the dough and make sure the three portions are of the same weight.

Once you’ve portioned out your tsoureki dough, roll it gently with your hands and then grab it from the edges and shake it gently to shape it into a rope. Your three tsoureki dough “ropes” should end up being around 60cm/24 inches long, like the picture below.

After you’ve got your dough stretched out into dough ropes, it’s time to start shaping the tsoureki braid. Pinch the top of the three dough ropes together. 

Then bring the middle rope over the left one. Now, bring the now middle rope over the right one. Carry on until your braid is complete. Make sure your braids are barely tight. You want space for your dough to expand when proofing.

Once done, tuck the ends under the dough so your ends are nice and round. Now your tsoureki dough should look like the picture below. 

Finally transfer your dough onto some parchment paper and then into a deep baking dish. Cover with some cling film and set aside to proof for around 1 to 1 and a half hours or until the dough has doubled in size again. 

If your room is cold, use the oven trick again – turn on the oven light and place your dough in it. It will keep it warm enough and speed up the final proof.

Decorating and baking your bread machine tsoureki

Once the tsoureki braid has doubled in size and looks nice and puffy, its time to decorate and bake it. Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F fan. Crack your last egg in a bowl, add the water and whisk with a fork. This will become the glaze for the tsoureki.

The egg wash serves three purposes – it gives your dough that golden brown color, it softens the dough so it doesn’t crack as it expands in the oven and it allows your almond slivers to stick to the tsoureki!

Next, grab a pastry brush, dip it in the egg wash and gently brush the tsoureki with the egg wash. You want enough egg wash to cover the tsoureki all around and where the braids meet.

Finally, sprinkle on your almond slivers and put your easy tsoureki in the oven. Bake it for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown throughout. As most ovens don’t distribute their heat evenly, half way through the baking time rotate your baking tray to make sure all sides of your tsoureki brown evenly!

Tip: If you notice that your tsoureki browns too quickly, cover it with some aluminium foil.

Troubleshooting

• My tsoureki did not rise: There could be two causes for this. Your yeast could have gone stale or the room temperature is too cold. Test your yeast by adding a spoon full in some Luke warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it foams after 10-15 minutes, the yeast is working. If your room is too cold, simply pop the tsoureki dough in your oven with the oven light on. If your home is extra cold boil some water, put it in a pan and place it in the rack underneath the tsoureki dough. This will supercharge the proofing process!
• My tsoureki is cracking on top: If your tsoureki has cracked on top its because the second proof was not complete before baking it. To prevent it from cracking on top, the braided tsoureki dough needs to double in size before baking. Finally make sure you use plenty of egg wash and sprinkle some where the braids meet to soften the dough and allow it to stretch when baking.

For more tips and tricks dont forget to also check out my traditional Greek Tsoureki recipe, made using a stand mixer.

How to store your bread machine tsoureki

To keep your bread machine tsoureki fresh, make sure you cover it tightly with some cling film. This helps lock in the moisture and as an added bonus, it softens the crust, making it even more delicious! 

As the tsoureki contains eggs and butter it will keep fresh for approximately 5 days if kept at room temperature. If you want to keep it for longer, simply slice it, wrap it in cling film or put it in some large freezer bags and pop it in the freezer where it will keep for 2-3 months.

When you want to eat it, simply take a slice out and pop it in the microwave for 30-40 seconds on full heat. It will taste as good and soft as fresh!

More traditional Greek Easter Recipes

If you love my easy tsoureki recipe then my handpicked recipes below are made for you!

• Tsoureki muffins
• Traditional tsoureki (made using your mixer)
• Koulourakia Greek Easter cookies 
• Traditional Cypriot Flaounas
• Cretan sweet cheese pastries 

Also if you love using your bread machine, then my delicious Bread machine sourdough bread recipe is made for you!

Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine

(79 votes, average: 4.99 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Rising time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 1 tsoureki
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Who doesn’t love a deliciously soft tsoureki! This is my super easy tsoureki recipe made using a bread machine. It needs less than 10 minutes hands on time to prepare because your bread machine does all the hard work, leaving you with more time to enjoy it!

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Ingredients

For the dough

• 500 gr (17.6 oz) strong white (bread) flour
• 5 tsp instant dry yeast
• 130 gr (4.6 oz) sugar
• 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) milk
• 90 ml (3 fl oz) water
• 80 gr (2.8 oz) butter
• 2 eggs
• 5 tsp ground mahleb seeds
• 1 tsp ground cardamon seeds
• 2–3 ground mastic “teardrops”
• 1/2 tsp salt

To glaze and decorate

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp almond slivers

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Instructions

1. To prepare my easy tsoureki in bread machine start by adding the flour in the bread machine bowl.
2. Add the yeast on one corner of the bread machine bowl.
3. Add the tsoureki ground spices (mahleb, ground cardamon seeds, ground mastic), the salt, sugar and orange zest on the other side of the baking pan.
4. Crack the eggs in a bowl, pour in the water and whisk.
5. In the bread machine bowl, pour in the milk and the egg-water mixture and add half the butter.
6. Place the bowl in the bread machine and start the brioche dough programme. In the Panasonic SD-ZX2522, use menu 33. On the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 use menu 29. When the bread machine beeps, add the remaining butter and resume the programme.
7. If your bread machine doesn’t have a brioche dough setting, use the plain dough setting and half way through the kneading cycle add the remaining butter to your tsoureki dough.
8. Once the programme is complete, your bread machine tsoureki dough should look soft, springy and a little bit sticky.
9. Its now time to proof your bread machine tsoureki. Set your bread machine to the “rise” programme and let it proof for about 3 hours. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and has almost filled the bread machine bowl.
10. If your bread machine doesn’t have a “rise” programme, use the sourdough starter programme and let the tsoureki dough proof for about 3 hours. If your bread machine doesn’t have a rise or sourdough starter programme, simply switch off the bread machine and leave the tsoureki dough in it for about 4 hours to proof.
11. Once the tsoureki dough has proofed, remove the bowl from your bread machine and gently deflate your dough.
12. Pour out the dough and using your scale split it in three equal portions.
13. Take one portion of dough and roll it a little using your hands. Then grab it by the ends and shake it to stretch it into a rope. Each tsoureki string should be around 60cm/24 inch long. This technique will align the gluten in the dough and help it form that delicious stringy texture that characterises there traditional tsoureki.
14. Lay your three tsoureki dough ropes side by side. Pinch the three dough ropes together on the top and fold the ropes over each other, forming a braid. Finally tuck the edges underneath.
15. Transfer your tsoureki dough in a large baking dish lined with some parchment paper. Cover with some cling film and let it proof for around 1 hour, until it has doubled in size. If your house is cold, try turning the oven light on and putting your dough in it, to accelerate the proofing.
16. Your dough is now ready to decorate. Crack one egg in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of water in it and whisk. Brush your tsoureki in a bread machine dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the almond slivers over it.
17. Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F and bake your tsoureki for 45 minutes until it turns golden brown on top. Halfway through the cooking time rotate your baking dish so that the tsoureki is evenly coloured.
18. Remove your bread machine tsoureki from the oven and let it cool down on a cake rack. Slice and serve with some chocolate spread or jam! Wrap it with some cling film to help keep it fresh!
19. Enjoy!

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Keywords: tsoureki in bread machine, tsoureki in bread maker, easy tsoureki

The post Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So read along to discover my delicious recipe, tips and tricks to make them to perfection, step by step photos and how to store them and my delicious variations!

What are Greek olive oil cookies? 

Cookies made with oil and without butter or eggs? You shouldn’t miss out on these delicious treats! Greeks enjoy them in the lead up to Christmas, as well as those who practice fasting in preparation for Lent. 

The recipe is especially popular among the Greek Orthodox because it is vegan and does not require any dairy products which are avoided at certain times throughout the year, such as the Christmas and Easter Lent.

Finally, Koulourakia stands for Koulouri, which is a round and hollow cookie, shaped like a bagel. However, over time this phrase has come to mean any type of cookie! So feel free to experiment with shapes that you fancy! Round ones, braided ones, the world is your oyster! And of course, ladi means oil so its name literally means “made from oils”.

What you’ll need to make Greek Olive Oil Cookies the traditional way

I like to make these koulourakia with orange juice but if you want something with a stronger flavor, use a combination of orange juice and Metaxa brandy or cognac.

This really enhances the taste and makes the orange flavor so much more delicious. But for a non-alcoholic version, just stick with the orange juice.

On the olive oil front, I like going for light one. Extra virgin or unfiltered olive oils tend to have a more distinct and “strong” flavour. 

So depending on your taste, a strong olive oil may not be desirable! Therefore, opt for a light coloured, filtered olive oil to make sure your cookies taste just right!

Key Preparation Tips

When preparing your Greek olive oil vegan biscuits you’ll need to be mindful of the below three things, to make sure your cookies taste simply amazing!

• Zesting the orange
• Add the right amount of “spices”
• Dont over knead the dough

When zesting the orange, make sure you only get the orange part and not the white bit. This is very bitter and will spoil the taste of the cookies.

With the cloves, be very careful when measuring them and side on less than more. If you have too much, they are overpowering and will block out the delicious flavor of the orange.

Finally, don’t forget that oil based cookies are easy to over-knead, which would result in the dough splitting and the oil coming out from the dough. To prevent that, make sure you are very gentle with the kneading and stop when the dough comes together!

Making ahead of time and storing

It is definitely best to make these crispy and fragrant cookies and bake them on the same day. Due to the olive oil, the dough doesn’t really store well if unbaked. The oil tends to seep out of the dough if left standing for too long.

So only mix them up when you want to bake them for the best results. Once baked, they will store in a cookie jar or airtight container for at least 5 days.

Serving suggestions

These Olive oil cookies are a perfect match with coffee, especially Greek coffee. They also work well with most types of tea as well! And as they contain no butter or dairy products, they are the perfect lenten treat and ideal if you observe a vegan diet!

Can I substitute vegetable oil instead of olive oil?

Yes you can substitute olive oil with vegetable oil. However, your biscuits will loose out a little bit of their distinctive flavour. If you do want to use alternative oils and retain the cookie’s flavour at the same time, just substitute half of the olive oil with a light vegetable oil.

Using a blend of oils will keep the olive oil flavouring while being a bit more economical to prepare. So a win win for both your budget and the taste as well!

More recipes to try

Greek Olive Oil Cookies

(92 votes, average: 4.90 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 30 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you are looking for a classic Greek biscuit, then look no further than these Greek olive oil cookies or koulourakia ladiou. Cookies with olive oil are a little different from the usual chocolate or ginger but trust me, they will become your new favourite! 

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Ingredients

• 130g olive oil (4.6oz)
• 165g orange juice (or 140g orange juice and 35g Metaxa/ cognac) – 5.8 oz
• zest of 1 orange 
• 150g sugar (5.3 oz)
• 500g self rising flour (17.6 oz)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground clove 
• 1/3 tsp baking soda 
• 4 drops vanilla essence 
• 80g sesame seeds for coating (2.8 oz)

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  Greek Moustokouloura recipe…

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Instructions

1. To prepare these olive oil cookies add in a large bowl the orange juice and baking soda. Whisk lightly using a fork until the baking soda dissolves and starts foaming.
2. In the same bowl add all the liquid ingredients (olive oil, vanilla extract and cognac, if using) and the sugar and beat with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. In another bowl add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, orange zest, ground cinnamon and clove. Mix with a spoon to combine. 
4. Add all the dry ingredients in the bowl with the liquid ingredients. Mix lightly with a spoon until all the ingredients incorporate. At the end use your hands to knead the dough softly until the flour is incorporated. Do not knead the dough too much because the oil will start to separate.
5. Preheat the oven at 170-180C fan (350F).
6. Divide the dough in 28-30 equal balls, approx. 30-35g / 1oz each.
7. Shape the cookies into braids or circles. 
8. Dredge the olive oil cookies in sesame seeds until covered on all sides.
9. Place the cookies on 2 baking trays lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake each tray for approx. 20-25 minutes until nicely coloured and cooked through. 
11. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek olive oil cookies, olive oil cookies, greek cookies, greek olive oil biscuits, olive oil biscuits

The post Greek Olive Oil Cookies (koulourakia ladiou) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

This is a recipe for tiropitakia I use all the time as they require only ingredients I usually have in hand. They are my number one choice for unexpected guests. Real life savers! 

These tiropitakia are actually little balls made with flour (yes no phyllo dough is required!), feta cheese and olive oil. 

Tip: The flour should be self rising flour so that they rise when baked and become fluffy.

Greek yogurt and eggs give them a really nice moist texture. And of course you can use any herbs you like. Dried oregano is my favourite. The combination of feta cheese and oregano makes them super fragrant!

Tip: It is best to use half olive oil and half vegetable oil so that they don’t taste heavy. Plus they are cheaper this way.

All you have to do to make them is mix all the ingredients together by spoon and hand until you have a smooth dough and form the tiropitakia into balls. Then bake and ready!! Enjoy!!

Grandma’s Tiropitakia with flour in 5 minutes

(123 votes, average: 4.51 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 30 pieces
• Category: Sides
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Golden and crispy on the outside fluffy in the inside and amazingly fragrant! This super easy 5 minute recipe for Grandma’s tiropitakia with flour and feta cheese will become your kids favorite!

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Ingredients

• 500g/ 17.5oz self rising flour
• 200g/ 7oz Greek yogurt
• 200g/ 7oz oil (100g olive oil and 100g vegetable oil)
• 400–450g/ 15oz feta cheese (crumbled)
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper
• dried oregano (optional)

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  Greek Feta Cheese Pies Recipe…

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  Traditional Zucchini pie recipe…

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Instructions

1. To prepare this super easy tiropitakia recipe add all the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Mix the ingredients using a spoon until almost incorporated.
3. Knead a little bit with your hands until you have a smooth dough.
4. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
5. Form the dough in round balls and place on the parchment paper. (about 30 tiropitakia)
6. Flatten a little bit the tiropitakia with your hands.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 25-30 min, depending on the oven, until nicely coloured and cooked through. Enjoy!

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Keywords: tiropitakia with flour

The post Grandma’s Tiropitakia (cheese pies) with flour made in 5 minutes! appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Greek style Chocolate cake ingredients

One thing all Greek chocolate cake recipes have in common is moistness. Some recipes use a syrup for the cake and top with glaze, while others use only syrup.

With this chocolate cake recipe I tried to keep it really simple and easy. All you have to do is whisk all the ingredients together and bake. No stand mixer or special equipment is required.

Also this is a slightly lighter version with no eggs or butter in the chocolate cake. So for the batter all you need is flour, cocoa powder, sugar and water! Of course if you have at hand some vanilla extract and orange zest you can add them for that bit of extra flavor.

Pro Tip: You could also use self rising flour instead of all purpose flour and baking powder.

Prepare the coating for the Chocolate cake

Instead of preparing both syrup and glaze, I preferred coating the cake with a chocolate sauce, which is actually melted dark chocolate with butter and a bit of milk.

Use a fork to make some holes on the cold cake and then pour the hot chocolate sauce. This will enable the sauce to penetrate the cake and soak in, just like using a chocolate syrup! The best part? Because its slightly thicker, its so much more indulgent!

Pro Tip: Keep in mind not to over-bake the cake to keep it fluffy and moist.

How can this greek chocolate cake (sokolatopita) be stored?

There are two enemies to keeping your greek Sokolatopita fresh. Air and heat. This cake can last for about 4-5 days after baking if you keep it stored in an air tight container and on the top shelf of your fridge.

Just remember take it out of the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to allow it to gently come to room temperature. If you like it hot, serve it in plates and pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds on full heat. The chocolate will melt and the cake will release its moisture making it super soft!

What about freezing? If you want to prepare this greek chocolate cake ahead of time, you can freeze it. I prefer to make the cake, let it cool down completely, wrap the cake and the baking tin in cling film and store in the freezer. The day you want to serve it, take it out from the fridge, let it defrost and prepare the chocolate sauce.

What to serve it with?

Sokolatopita (Greek chocolate cake) is commonly served warm with vanilla ice cream. So If you have prepared the cake ahead of serving time, cut in pieces and warm it a little bit. Enjoy!

Love chocolate? You will also love these…

If you like me love a chocolate, take a look at my other heavenly recipes!

1. Mosaiko recipe – a greek chocolate and biscuits log, that needs no baking!
2. Karidopita with chocolate – a walnut and chocolate cake infused with syrup and covered in a delicious chocolate ganache!
3. My easiest chocolate and biscuit no bake cake
4. Baklava filled with chocolate! Say no more….

Chocolate Cake Greek style (Sokolatopita)

(507 votes, average: 4.68 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 15 portions
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

A mouthwatering Greek style chocolate cake recipe (Sokolatopita) with ingredients you already have in your kitchen and no mixer required!

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Ingredients

For the chocolate cake 

• 2.5 cups all purpose flour 
• 3 flat tsps baking powder
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1.5 cups cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of 1 orange

For the sauce 

• 200g/ 7 oz. dark chocolate 
• 30ml milk
• 1 tbsp butter

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek chocolate cake add in a large bowl the flour, baking powder, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Whisk well using a hand whisk to combine the ingredients. 
2. In the same bowl add the water, vanilla essence and orange zest and whisk well to form a cake batter. Be careful to scrape the flour from the bottom of the bowl.
3. Butter a 22×30 cm baking dish and pour in the chocolate cake batter. Bake on preheated oven at 170C/340F for about 30 min.
4. Remove the chocolate cake form the oven and let it cool for about 1-2 hours.
5. Prepare the sauce. In double boiler add the chocolate in small pieces, the milk and butter and stir with a spatula until the chocolate melts and the ingredients combine.
6. Use a fork to make some holes on the top of the chocolate cake and pour over the chocolate sauce.
7. Serve while still warm with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece
• Calories: 285 kcal
• Sugar: 31.8g
• Sodium: 161.5mg
• Fat: 7.2g
• Saturated Fat: 4.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 55.6g
• Fiber: 4.2g
• Protein: 4.6g
• Cholesterol: 2.9mg

Keywords: Greek chocolate cake, sokolatopita recipe

The post Chocolate Cake Greek style (Sokolatopita) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

The whole preparation of the recipe will last only 10 minutes (plus some extra time to cool the bars). It is a perfect vegetarian and vegan snack that will also be great for Lenten season.

Greek Honey sesame bars (Pasteli) ingredients

In this Greek Pasteli recipe I use sesame seeds and honey, which are the main ingredients. But feel free to experiment with different kind of nuts that you like, such as almonds and pistachios or even a mix of other nuts and sesame seeds.

I also add some lemon zest to give more flavour and freshness, but you could omit it all-together or replace it with orange zest. You could also try adding even a pinch (not too much) of ground cinnamon and/or clove. So try experimenting and find the combination that suits your taste better!

The main ingredient that is characteristic for Greek honey bars is honey. Honey gives Pasteli its unique texture and taste. It will be great if you could find some good quality Greek thyme honey! And also add a pinch of salt to lift the flavour. Regular salt will be ok, but using a pinch of Cretan sea salt blossom will be a wonderful addition.

How to caramelise the honey surup for your Greek Honey sesame bars (Pasteli)

Your honey needs to boil at the right temperature for the right amount of time in order for it to solidify and turn into caramel when cooled down. There are two ways to achieve this.

1. You can use a thermometer – when the boiling honey reaches 125C/260F the honey is ready and caramelised
2. Alternatively you can do it the traditional way without using a thermometer. Take a small teaspoon of honey – syrup and drip it in a bowl of cold water. After a few seconds, when it has cooled down, form it into a small ball. Take it out of the water and tap it on your work surface. If it sounds solid it is done!

So go ahead try out making your own Greek honey and sesame bars and don’t forget to sent us your comments and photos on the comment section below!

Greek Honey Sesame bars (Pasteli recipe)

(620 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 0 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 20 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

The ancient Greek version of a power bar is “Pasteli”! Greek honey sesame bars is a snack made from honey and sesame seeds in only 10 minutes!

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Ingredients

• 220g honey (7.5 oz.)
• 220g sesame seeds (7.5 oz.)
• a pinch of salt
• zest of 1 medium sized lemon

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek honey sesame bars (Pasteli) recipe start by toasting the sesame seeds. Place a frying pan over high heat and add the sesame seeds. Toast them for 2-3 minutes until golden (not too brown). Remove the sesame seeds from the pan and set aside. Continue with the rest of the recipe quickly, so that the sesame seeds remain hot. Alternatively you can spread the sesame seeds in a pan and toast them in the oven at 180-190C (375F).
2. In the same pan add the honey and bring to a boil, until it starts to foam. Remove the foam using a spatula, turn down the heat to medium and let it simmer until its temperature has reached 125C/260F. If you don’t have a thermometer, take a bowl of cold water and drip in a teaspoon of the honey syrup. Let it cool down for a few seconds then shape it into a small ball using your fingers. Take it out of the water and drop it on your work surface. If it sounds like it is solid, the honey syrup is done.
3. Its now time to add the remaining ingredients for your pasteli. Add a pinch of salt and the toasted sesame seeds and stir for about 10 minutes over medium heat, using a wooden spatula. The mixture should thicken considerably and stick to the spatula.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the lemon zest and stir.
5. Line a round pan (22cm/ 8.5 inch. diameter) with parchment paper and pour in the mixture. Be careful not to touch it, as it is very hot. Spread the mixture very well using a spoon.
6. Let the pasteli cool down for about 20 minutes and them cut into portions. If you let it cool completely then it would be harder to cut into pieces.

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Keywords: Greek honey sesame bars, Honey bar, Pasteli recipe

The post Greek Honey Sesame bars (Pasteli recipe) appeared first on My Greek Dish.