Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread)

SUBMITTED BY: Ani  PHOTO BY: Doughgirl8 Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)

"Ok...so my mother would just kill me if she knew I made our family recipe for Choereg public. But my policy is 'why keep a good thing to myself'. Choereg is a traditional, slightly sweet bread, especially made for Easter. It is delicious for breakfast with a nice cup of coffee. It takes some level of skill, but anyone used to handling yeast should not have a problem. You can find Mahleb at Middle Eastern grocery stores, especially around Easter. It will be with the spices. Please do not omit it, as this is what gives it its distinctive flavour and aroma."
Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread) Recipe
PREP TIME  6 Hrs
COOK TIME  25 Min
READY IN  6 Hrs 25 Min
Original recipe yield 5 loaves

SERVINGS

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Servings
 

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup margarine
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
  • 5 eggs
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground mahleb
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, butter and margarine. Heat until butter and margarine are melted, but do not let it boil. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved, then set aside to cool to lukewarm.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface, and let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
  3. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and stir a little to break up the yolks. Slowly pour in the heated milk mixture while whisking constantly, so as to temper the eggs and not cook them. Add the yeast mixture, and stir just until blended.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, mahleb, and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until it forms a sticky dough. Pour onto a floured surface, and knead in additional flour as needed to make a more substantial dough. Knead for about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, and set in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. When the dough has doubled, punch down again, and let rise until doubled. It will only take about half as long this time.
  6. Separate the dough into 5 even portions, then separate each of those into thirds. Roll each of those into ropes about 12 inches long. Braid sets of three ropes together, pinching the ends to seal, and tucking them under for a better presentation. Place the loaves onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Loaves should be spaced 4 inches apart. Set in a warm place to rise until your finger leaves an impression behind when you poke the loaf gently.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush the loaves with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until nicely golden brown all over.

FOOTNOTES

  • Hint
  • You may preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) while mixing, and then turn it off and let it cool down to about 100 degrees. Place your dough in there to proof with the oven light on, and it will rise much faster.
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REVIEWS

The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on apr. 8, 2007 by Suzie 
Ani, God Bless you for sharing this coveted recipe! I lost my grandmother's recipe for... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on sep. 12, 2008 by CYBERGIFTS 
Thank you bunches for sharing your mother's recipe. I'm sure she won't be upset once she... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on apr. 16, 2008 by Michelle Rudd 
This recipe was wonderful and easy to follow. I used all butter instead of half butter and... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on mar. 4, 2008 by Natalya 
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Its just like my mom's. I didn't change a thing and it came... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on may 3, 2007 by cynthia okeefe 
Very authentic. Just like what I grew up eating at Easter. I would have to agree that... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on apr. 16, 2006 by Norman L Jones Sr 
Ani's mother would probabably kill her for divulging the formula... my grandmother never wrote... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on mar. 17, 2009 by Doughgirl8 
I've had my eye on this recipe for a couple of years now, and finally got around to making it.... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on apr. 12, 2008 by Julina 
Added about 2 extra cups of flour, otherwise perfect! MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on apr. 8, 2009 by Alyssa 
very good! MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 4.93 star rating.
Reviewed on may 11, 2009 by amakchef 
Dear Ani I would like to thank you a lot for this recipe which I've been looking for it for... MORE


 
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Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Nutritional Information
Choereg (Armenian Easter Bread)

Servings Per Recipe: 30

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 249

  • Total Fat: 13.8g
  • Cholesterol: 60mg
  • Sodium: 229mg
  • Total Carbs: 26.9g
  •     Dietary Fiber: 0.8g
  • Protein: 4.5g

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