Tsoureki τσουρέκι (Easter bread)

Tsoureki   τσουρέκι (Easter bread)

Traditionally made at Easter braided with a red Easter egg.

The red egg represents the Blood of Christ

This bread was a staple in our home at Easter time. The smell of this bread is amazing as it cooks. Although it is delicious for several days after it is baked, it is my personal belief that there is nothing more perfect than a fresh slice while it is still warm from the oven.

Syrup

4 cups sugar

5 cups water

zest from 4 to 5 large oranges

Bread dough

5 tablespoons yeast

2 cups warm water

2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

6 to 8 cups flour

1 rounded table spoon salt

1/2 lb butter

1 1/2 cups cold milk

6 eggs

1 tablespoon Malhepi

Egg wash

Optional

Red dyed hard boiled eggs

Almond slices (for decoration)

Early in the day or the day before  prepare a syrup for the dough:

4 cups sugar and 5 cups water cooked until sugar dissolves. This must cool completely prior to use

then remove the zest from 4-5 large oranges you can zest them with a fine grater or, and this is Margarita's technique: cut them off with a pairing knife into small pieces free of the bitter pith then she puts these into a small food processor or magic bullet blender along with some of the syrup you made earlier and blend until fine paste and relatively smooth 

5 tablespoons yeast dissolved into 2 cups warm-to-the-hand water with two to three tablespoon sugar until frothy (make sure bowl is big for yeast to froth up)

Add 3 cups flour into mixer and one rounded table spoon salt then add in your activated yeast on low to medium speed mix until well blended add sugar water until dough is a loose composition meanwhile in a sauce pan melt ½ lbs butter when melted add 1 ½ cups cold milk to, this way you ensure that the butter is not too hot for dough.  

Start adding eggs one at a time (total of six eggs) blend continuously.  Then add the milk, butter and blended zest add 1 tablespoon  mahlepi flavoring then alternating add flour and the sugar water  making sure you use all of the water before you finish with the flour (usually this would be 6 to 8 more cups of flour) at this point your mixer will likely be over flowing with dough that is still too loose. Remove the overly wet dough and put into a very large bowl.  Put half to a third of the dough back into your mixer  and resume adding flour until the dough is very smooth, stays on the dough hook when you stop mixing it and is very elastic and pliable.will look shinny and light in texture and will not be too sticky to handle (it will smell and taste like heaven) Repeat this method with the remaining dough until all the dough is ready.

Melly's Mint Chocolate Macaron's with Marshmallow cream filling

Melly's Mint Chocolate Macaron's with Marshmallow cream filling

From the sister-in-law of the groom; Melanie. These little babies are light with a crisp, flaky crust, slightly chewy center, and made into a sandwich with marshmallow cream filling. The mint oil gives these little treats a refreshing undertone that always pairs nicely with chocolate. The marshmallow cream filling gives them a rich, smooth finish that is reminiscent of a s'more crossed with an oreo cookie. ~ Mark

2.5 teaspoons of egg white powder (not meringue)

3 tablespoons of bakers sugar (fine granulated sugar)

Mix these together until uniform in color, set aside.

In another bowl sift together

2 scant cups powdered sugar

And one cup almond flour or almond meal made from Blanched almonds.

Set aside

3 tablespoons of cocoa

3 drops of peppermint oil

(for non chocolate variety omit cocoa at this step and peppermint, and add food coloring and other flavors that are desired)

Three egg whites.

Preheat oven to 300* F

Begin whisking egg whites until frothy on medium speed. Add in the granulated sugar and powdered egg whites gradually and blend on medium until incorporated. Then beat egg whites until stiff but still glossy.

Just when the egg whites are finishing I add in sifted cocoa powder and peppermint oil and turn down speed.

Remove mixing bowl from stand mixer and, adding a third of the powdered sugar/almond mixture at a time, gently fold together until all is blended.

Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper. Fill pastry bag with batter. Gently pipe out small cookies one to one and a half inches and two inches apart. I hold bag straight up and down with tip almost touching the parchment and lift straight up when done with each cookie. The ideal cookie batter doesn't spread too far, isn't too runny but doesn't have a "beak" on top where the pastry bag was touching it.

Before putting pan into oven I tap the pan on the counter, hoping to remove air bubbles...not sure if it does anything though! 

In my gas oven I have been cooking them one rack up from the bottom. 12 minutes in the oven, turn the pan around and 8 to nine minutes more.

After removing pan from oven I let the cookies cool on the pan and on the parchment paper for seven to ten minutes and then I remove them from paper and cool them the rest of the way on a cooling rack...it's tricky but there is definitely a perfect moment when the cookies seem to release a little better.

After they are all the way cool they can be filled with marshmallow filling/icing or even jet puffed marshmallow spread...this makes a little gooey mess but is super yummy! ~ Melanie

Marsha's Really Good Chocolate Chip cookies

From the mother of the bride; Really Good Chocolate Chip Cookies

Traditionally, when the kids were all younger, on their  first day of school when they walked in the door, this is what they would come home to and smell from the oven.   I would use the Nestles "Original Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie" recipe.
However, I did a 'taste test" with my friends recipe. It is the same ingredients just different amounts.  My friend refers to them as "Really Good Chocolate Chip Cookies".  She cut the recipe out of a newspaper over 20 years ago! ~ Marsha 

1 stick margarine plus 1 stick butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 extra large eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream margarine  with sugars until light. Beat in the vanilla and eggs until smooth.  Mix together flour, baking soda and salt.    Add the chocolate chips and nuts. stir to mix.  Drop onto lined (parchment paper) baking sheets, bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, turning sheets end for end and trading oven racks (to to bottom) at the halfway point.  Remove from oven and slide parchment paper off sheets with the cookies on it and leave until cookies are barely cool enough to handle, then transfer to racks to cool.  Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

soft sugar cookies

Soft sugar cookies

This recipe is for the soft type of sugar cookie. Bend these cookies and they will fold and tear slowly. The sour cream makes them smooth and light. ~ Mark

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 heaping tbs sour cream

In a large bowl combine sugar and butter and blend for about 5 minutes. add eggs one at a time. blend well. add vanilla. scrape the sides of the bowl to keep well mixed.
 In a separate bowl sift together salt, baking powder and flour. Mix in flour mixture to butter mixture, one cup at a time.
  Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls into granulated sugar and press down lightly. Place on parchment paper or silicon liner. Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes.

Melting Moments

Melting Moments



Who knew there was a cookie called 'Melting Moments'? I sure didn't. Once again, yiayia has called upon her stand-by ingredient, citrus to add some yiayia magic to these little beauties. The lime zest and lime juice really add that extra touch to these cookies that takes them to the next level; Perfection. ~ Mark



1/2 cup Rice Krispies cereal
16 Tbs unsalted butter cut into 16 pieces and softened
3 Tbs Heavy Cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 14 cups (5 ounces) cake flour
1/4 cups (1 1/4 ounce) cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 cup (2 3/8 ounces) confectioners sugar
Zest of 1 large lime
Juice of half a lime

• 1. Process Rice Krispies in blender until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Combine 4 tablespoons butter and cream in large bowl and microwave until butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Whisk in processed Rice Krispies and vanilla until combined. Let cool slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• 2. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl; reserve. Whisk sugar into cooled butter mixture until incorporated. Add remaining 12 tablespoons butter, lime zest, and lime juice whisking until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined.
• 3. Working with half of dough at a time, dollop dough into 8-inch strip down center of 14 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper. Fold 1 long side of parchment over dough. Using ruler, press dough into tight 1-inch-wide log. Repeat with remaining dough and another sheet of parchment. Refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour. (Dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month.)
• 4. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Cut dough into ¼-inch slices and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until set but not brown, 18 to 22 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cool completely on sheets, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.
•  You can press the dough into cookie molds, roll out and use with a cookie cutter, or you can also roll the dough into a ball and make a depression in the center with your thumb. You can top these gems off with your favorite fruit gel to give them some 'flair' if you'd like.  

Yiayia's sugar cookies

Yiayia's special sugar cookies

This is yiayias adaptation of the classic sugar cookie, complete with her secret ingredient. ~ Mark

 "The white chocolate cream cheese makes these cookies taste so good; you have no idea!" ~ Yiayia




2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flower 
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 ounce Philadelphia white chocolate cream cheese (yiayia's secret ingredient )
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted & still warm)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• In large bowl, combine all ingredients except flour and sugar; beat until light and fluffy.
• Add flour; mix well. Shape dough into 3 disks. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 375°F. On floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated.) Cut with lightly floured 2 1/2-inch round or desired shape cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Decorate as desired. Yiayia uses a fork and makes cross hatch marks (similar to a peanut butter cookie).
• Bake at 375°F. for 6 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. 

Madeleines

This is yiayia's version of a classic french treat. The orange zest and orange juice give it a little extra "yiayia zing" while the baking soda makes them a little lighter. ~Mark


Softened unsalted butter for brushing molds
1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1/2 orange
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooked
Confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)

First, melt the butter and allow it to cool while you make the batter.

In a small bowl place the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk until well blended.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes).  Add the vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice and beat to combine.

Sift a small amount of flour over the egg mixture and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the beaten eggs to lighten it.  Sift the rest of the flour over the egg mixture and fold in being sure not to over mix or the batter will deflate. 

Whisk a small amount of the egg mixture into the melted butter to lighten it.  Then fold in the cooled melted butter in three additions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours, until slightly firm.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).  Generously butter two 12-mold madeleine pans. Dust the molds with flour and tap out the excess.  (Make sure the pans are well greased or the madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.)

Drop a generous tablespoonful of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the batter mounded in the center.  (This will result in the classic "humped" appearance of the madeleines.)

Bake the madeleines for 11 to13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly touched.  Do not overbake these cookies or they will be dry.

Remove the pans from the oven and rap each pan sharply against a countertop to release the madeleines.  Transfer the madeleines, smooth sides down, to wire racks to cool.  The madeleines are best served the same day but can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.

When serving dust with confectioners sugar.