Best Vasilopita Orange Sweet Bread Recipes

VASILOPITA: NEW YEAR'S SWEET BREAD (GREEK PANETONNE)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a tabletop mixer combine the milk, yeast, sugar, and flour together. Let it sit for 10 minutes until the yeast is activated. A cloud will appear over the top of the mixture as soon as the yeast is activated.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the orange zest and ground mahlab and mix well.
• Add the eggs, remaining sugar and vanilla extract to the sponge mixture.
• Add the flour mixture. Knead for 15 minutes.
• Add the softened butter and knead until it is all incorporated into the dough. Add the dried fruit, if using and knead until it's all incorporated.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been greased with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 2 hours to rise until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees °F. 180 °C.
• Grease and line a 10 inch round by 3 inch deep baking pan with parchment paper.
• Punch down the dough to release the air and transfer it to the prepared baking pan.
• Cover a coin with aluminum foil and place it inside the cake. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap.
• Set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
• Brush with egg wash and top with sesame seeds or sliced almonds.
• Bake for 1 hour or until it becomes a deep mahogany color on top and the center is cooked. You may check by inserting a toothpick in the center.
• Allow to cool completely. About an hour.
• Remove from pan and dust with confectioner's sugar.
• Kali Orexi and Happy New Year!!

VASILOPITA (GREEK NEW YEAR'S BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in one cup of warmed milk with one teaspoon sugar. Allow to double in volume for 10-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together 7 cups of flour, the salt, and the 3/4 cups sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. When the yeast has finished doubling, add to the well in flour mixture, as well as olive oil, 4 beaten eggs, the rest of the milk, and the orange zest.
• Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth.
• Turn dough out on a well floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed if the dough is too sticky.
• Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the top. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Punch dough down and divide into two portions. Knead each for a few minutes and place in two well-oiled 9-inch circular pans. Allow to rise until doubled in size for about one hour in a warm place.
• Using a very sharp knife or clean razor blade, carve decorative patterns into the top of each loaf, such as with lines radiating out from the center.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each loaf with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes or until the tops of each loaf turn a deep chestnut brown.
• Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack after removing it. At this point, you can insert a clean coin into the bottom of the loaf using a toothpick or skinny knife to push it in.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

VASILOPITA

Steps:

• To Prepare:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and a 4-inch round cake pan.
• To Make the Cake:
• Combine the almonds, brown sugar, and honey in a small bowl, and set aside. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and mahlab in a medium bowl, and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, and mix well.
• To Bake the Cake:
• Divide one-third of the nut mixture between the two prepared pans, scattering it in an even layer over their bottoms. Fill the smaller (4-inch) pan two-thirds full of batter, then pour half of the remaining batter into the larger (9-inch) pan. Bake both layers for 20 minutes, until the cakes become a bit firm. Sprinkle half of the remaining almond mixture in an even layer over both cakes, and lay the coin on top of one of the partly baked cakes. Pour the remaining batter on top of each cake. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of each comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes.
• To Serve:
• Remove the cakes from their pans, and place the smaller one on top of the larger. Top with the remaining almond mixture, and serve warm.

VASILOPITA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup milk, yeast and 1/2 cup flour. Cover and let the sponge rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Place 6 cups flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the sponge, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 3/4 cup melted butter, 3 eggs and 2 cups milk. Mix thoroughly to make a stiff dough.
• Transfer the dough into a greased springform pan. Brush dough with melted butter, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash.
• When dough has risen, insert a clean silver coin into the loaf. Brush dough egg wash and sprinkle with chopped almonds. Bake in preheated oven until deep golden brown, about 40 minutes.

VASELOPITA - GREEK NEW YEARS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 10 inch round cake pan.
• In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light. Stir in the flour and mix until the mixture is mealy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the baking powder and milk, add to the egg mixture, mix well. Then combine the lemon juice and baking soda, stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle the nuts and sugar over the cake, then return it to the oven for 20 to 30 additional minutes, until cake springs back to the touch. Gently cut a small hole in the cake and place a quarter in the hole. Try to cover the hole with sugar. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.
• Serve cake warm. Each person in the family gets a slice starting with the youngest. The person who gets the quarter in their piece, gets good luck for the whole year!

VASILOPITA (NEW YEAR BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the milk.
• Add remainder of milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar.
• Sift 3 cups flour, salt and spices into a warm bowl and make a wellin the centre.
• Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour, gradually adding warm melted butter.
• Mix dough with hands until it comes away from sides.
• Turn on to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining flour as required.
• Knead for 10 minutes.
• Place ball of dough in a clean bowl brushed with melted butter.
• Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap.
• Leave to prove (rise) in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
• Punch down and turn on to lightly floured surface.
• Knead lightly and shape into a round loaf.
• Place on a large greased baking sheet or in a greased 10 inch deep cake tin.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Glaze with well-beaten egg and arrange blanched almonds in numbers to denote the New Year, pressing in lightly.
• Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested.
• If bread browns too quickly place a piece of greased brown paper on top.
• Cool on a wire rack.