Christopsomo (Greek Christmas Bread)
Enjoy the festive flavour of Christopsomo, Greek Christmas Bread. With aromatic spices, crunchy walnuts, and orange fruitiness, it's a holiday tradition made easy.
Equipment
- 1 Cake Tin 24cm diameter
Ingredients
Yeast
- 150 ml water (warm)
- 10 grams dry active yeast
- 100 grams sugar
- 100 grams bread flour (high protein)
Dough Mixture
- 600 grams bread flour (add more in if you need, may need 50 grams more)
- 5 grams mahlepi
- 10 grams aniseed (ground)
- 5 grams salt
- 50 ml olive oil
- 300 ml orange juice
- 2 orange (zest)
- 150 grams walnuts (chopped)
Garnish
- 1 egg (egg wash)
- 1 walnut (whole)
- 4 halved walnuts
Makes: 24cm round
Instructions
Preparing the dough mixture
- To a bowl add the yeast ingredients. The warm water, yeast, sugar and flour. Whisk together and set aside for 10 minutes in a warm place to let the yeast activate.
- In a separate bowl, add in the flour, mahlepi, salt, orange zest, and aniseed. (Crush your aniseed to a fine powder if using the seeds)
- Mix the dry ingredients all together and then add it into the bowl with the prepared yeast mixture. (Once it has activated)
- Then add in the olive oil and orange juice.
- Using the dough hook, start mixing the dough on a low speed until all the ingredients are combined. Increase the speed for about 7 minutes. (Add more flour if needed)
- Once mixed and your dough is smooth, remove 300g of the dough and set aside.
- With the remaining dough, press it flat and add in the chopped walnuts. Fold together and knead until all the nuts are evenly distributed throughout.
- In two lightly oiled bowls, place your two doughs in each, cover and let it sit for a couple of hours. This time will vary depending on the temperature of your room. You want the doughs to double in size.
Constructing the Christopsomo
- Once ready, take out the small dough ball and divide it into 6 equal balls (50g each). Rolling them out into long even strands, roughly 40cm long.
- Plait together three strands, then repeat with the last three strands. You should end up with two plaits.
- Get your larger dough with the nuts and give it a roll and shape so it is nice a round.
- To a cake tin, add a lining to the bottom and place your rounded dough in the centre. Lightly press down to spread the dough a little. You want there to be enough room on the outer circle to place your finger inside.
- Place one braid over the top, tucking the edges through the gap so it is hugging the round dough.
- Place the second braid over the top of the first one, in the opposite direction, making the sign of the cross. Remembering to tuck the sides in. If your plaits are too long, just cut them down a little bit.
- Cover the cake tin and let it sit to rise in a warm place for about an hour. Keep your eye on it as you don’t want it to grow too large, that the plaits start splitting.
- Preheat your oven to 160° Celsius.
- Once risen, using a knife, carefully cut into the centre of the cross to make a slit for the whole walnut to squeeze inside.
- Place the other four walnuts on each of the four sections of the bread.
- With a whisked egg, brush it over the top to give the bread that glossy look and darker colour.
Cooking the bread
- Place the cake tin into the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 160°.
- After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 140° and bake for a further 20 minutes.
- Once ready, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
- Ensure to let the bread sit for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 4756kcalCarbohydrates: 702gProtein: 124gFat: 169gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 87gMonounsaturated Fat: 52gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 2037mgPotassium: 2812mgFiber: 39gSugar: 157gVitamin A: 1533IUVitamin C: 301mgCalcium: 501mgIron: 17mg
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