Vasilopita | Greek Style Panettone

Recipe directions

• For the Vasilopita Tsoureki
• In the bowl of a mixer, add the milk (lukewarm), one tablespoon of the sugar, the yeast, and stir. Add the flour on top without stirring and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
• In a bowl, add 3 whole eggs and one egg yolk. Keep the one egg white aside for later use for glazing.
• Add the orange zest, orange juice, the remaining sugar, a pinch of salt, and mix. Set aside.
• In another bowl, add the melted butter, mahleb, mastic, and mix.
• Add the mixtures from both bowls and the vanillins to the mixer bowl. Beat in the mixer for 5 minutes.
• Grease a large bowl with a little vegetable oil and transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside to let the dough rise for about 30-40 minutes.
• Knead the dough slightly to deflate it. Line a 30 cm diameter round baking dish with parchment paper and lightly oil it. Transfer the dough to the baking dish and press to spread it.
• Brush the dough with melted butter. Cover the baking dish with a towel and set aside for about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl, add the reserved egg white with a tablespoon of milk. Brush the dough with the mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 160 Celsius (320 F) on convection and bake for 45 minutes. Let the Vasilopita cool down well.
• For the Chocolate Coating
• In a bowl, add the milk chocolate couverture broken into small pieces and the vegetable oil. Cover with cling film and melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bain-marie.
• Pour the melted chocolate over the Vasilopita and spread it. Once cooled, you can decorate it as desired.