Easter Twist (Tsoureki)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons plus 3 1/2 to 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 cup sugar
• 1 18 teaspoons salt
• 4 eggs
• 23 cup milk, scalded and cooled
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspooon mahlepi flavoring or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Oil for greasing bowl and pan
• Sesame seeds for topping
• 1 egg, beaten for topping
• 4 red-dyed hard-boiled eggs for decoration

1. Mix yeast with water.
2. Add 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3. Stir, then let stand in a warm place until mixture bubbles and foams, about 10 minutes.
4. In a large bowl beat the 4 eggs.
5. Add remaining 1 cup sugar, cooled milk, melted butter and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
6. Stir in yeast mixture.
7. If using vanilla add to mixture.
8. Otherwise, blend mahlepi to 3 1/2 cups flour.
9. Add to egg mixture to make a stiff and elastic dough.
10. Dough will be very sticky.
11. Knead well on a floured board for about 5 minutes.
12. Or use dough hook of an electric mixer.
13. Place dough in a greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel.
14. Let rise until almost double in bulk, about 3 hours.
15. Punch down and turn over in bowl.
16. Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel and let rise again until almost double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
17. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
18. Generously flour work area before rolling out dough.
19. Separate dough into 3 balls.
20. Roll into 14-inch-long ropes and braid.
21. Place on greased round bread pan or cookie sheet and shape into a wreath.
22. Let rise about 45 minutes until double in bulk.
23. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
24. Arrange 4 red eggs around the wreath.
25. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until golden.

active dry yeast, warm water, flour, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, unsalted butter, mahlepi, greasing bowl, sesame seeds for topping, egg, reddyed

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11956 (may not work)