Greek Sweet Bread (Tsoureki) with Sweet Myzithra, Blueberries & Chocolate

Ingredients:

For the dough:

300 gr. flour for sweet bread (tsoureki)

125 ml. warm milk

25 gr. fresh yeast or ½ sachet dry yeast

110 gr. sugar

50 gr. melted butter

A pinch of salt

1 egg (room temperature)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For stuffing:

300 gr. Sweet Myzithra Kalogeraki

1 tablespoon sugar

½ egg whisked (keep the other ½ to brush tsoureki before baking)

17 blueberries

2 tablespoons chocolate drops

For topping:

½ egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water

10 gr. melted butter

Implementation:

In the mixer’s bowl add the warm milk, the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add 5 tablespoons of flour and whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.

Set aside (at a warm place) for 10 min. so the yeast can activate (you will see small bubbles on the surface). Add the rest of the sugar, the egg and continue whisking. 

Add the vanilla extract and gradually the melted butter with the flour (which you have already mixed with salt). Continue kneading for 7 more minutes or 10 (if you do it by hand).

Brush a bowl with olive oil and transfer dough to it. Use olive oil to brush the surface of the dough too and then cover it with a towel and set it aside for 2 – 2 ½ hours until it doubles in size. In case the room is cold, put the covered bowl in the oven and turn the light on or warm it up to 50 C.

For stuffing, use a fork to melt the Sweet Myzithra Kalogeraki. Add the sugar and the ½ egg, mix well. When the dough is ready, take it of the bowl and shape it into a rectangle (around 30cm X 40cm). Spread over the shaped dough the sweet myzithra stuffing (keep 1-2cm of the perimeter clear) & sprinkle with the blueberries & the chocolate drops.

Brush with egg wash (egg yolk diluted with water) the clear perimeter. Roll your stuffed dough (use the long side) to create a cord. Carefully transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper, cut in half with a sharp knife. Use the two strips to create a simple braid.

Cover with a towel and keep in warm place for 30 min. When ready, brush your sweet bread with the egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven to 180 C for about 1 hour. When ready, remove from oven, brush it with a bit of melted butter, allow to cool and serve.