Vasilopita 1: The bread or Toureki version

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Ingredients

1/2 cup Milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup tepid water
2 tbsp sugar
2 pkts (14g) dried yeast
3 eggs, well beaten
6 – 7 cups plain flour
1 tbsp Mahlepi powder
1 silver coin, washed, & wrapped in foil

Note: all ingredients should be at room temperature and place bread to rise in a draught free warm place

Preheat oven to 190 °C.
Scald the milk and stir in sugar and butter and let mixture cool.
In a large bowl, combine tepid water, 2 tbsp sugar and yeast. Leave for 15 minutes until it doubles.
Stir in cooled milk into yeast mixture and add in eggs.
Slowly add 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth. Add Mahlepi and 2-3 more cups of flour.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
Then place dough in a buttered bowl, cover and allow to double in size (about 2 hours)
Once the dough has risen, knead again
Split the dough in two and make 9 inch rounds. Insert a coin in each and place onto a greased tray or
10 inch cake tins.
Cover and allow to rise for approximately 1 hour.
Brush top of loaves with the beaten eggs and sprinkle with sesame seeds or blanched almonds or
arrange the almonds on the cake in a decorative pattern “such as the year or abstract design or a
flower or a cross.”
Bake at 180 °C for about 40 -45 minutes or until golden brown.