Tsoureki

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1. 1Step 1: Preheat oven to 200 degrees and turn off.
2. 2Step 2: Place yeast in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of warm milk and 2 cups of flour. Blend well using a whisk. Cover and let rest for one hour in oven.
3. 3Step 3: Melt butter with 2 cups of milk and 3 cups of sugar over low flame in a saucepan. Let cool.
4. 4Step 4: Add salt and mahlepi to the butter mixture.
5. 5Step 5: Beat 12 eggs one at a time until frothy. Add milk mixture and yeast mixture. Blend well.
6. 6Step 6: Add flour a little at a time. Knead it into mixture before adding more flour. Continue kneading and adding flour until dough is still a little sticky but shapes into a nice ball. DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH FLOUR. (It usually takes a total of 6-6 ½ lbs-including the amount used in Step 1-but the amount can vary.)
7. 7Step 7: Preheat oven to 200 degrees and turn it off.
8. 8Step 8: Shape the dough into a ball and wipe the top with melted butter so it doesn’t dry. Cover loosely with saran wrap and a large lightly damp towel. Put in warm oven (heat off) and allow to rise. It should double in size – about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
9. 9Step 9: Knead dough VERY WELL (you can be rough) until air bubbles are broken and dough is shiny.
10. 10Step 10: Grease 5 9” round cake pans (or any variation desired).
11. 11Step 11: Cut dough into 15 pieces.
12. 12Step 12: Take three pieces. Roll each piece into a 16” log. Place the three logs side by side and braid them together sealing the ends. Tightly roll the braid into a circle and put end piece under the circle. Put bread into 9” round greased pan. Brush with butter. Cover loosely with saran wrap and then with towel.
13. 13Step 13: Repeat this process 4 more times. Let breads sit in oven or, if not enough room, on the counter (warm/no draft) for 1-1 ½ hours until they rise.
14. 14Step 14: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
15. 15Step 15: Brush breads with egg that has been beaten with 1 tbl of water. Sprinkle breads with sesame seeds (optional).
16. 16Step 16: Bake (in several batches) in 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until done. Cool on rack thoroughly before wrapping. Cut a small circle in the center of bread and place a red egg in hole (optional).
17. 17Step 17: Bread can be frozen. Freeze right after it has been wrapped for freshest results.