Paul Hollywood make Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki bread) from Cyprus on The Great British Bake Off Easter Masterclass.
Paul says: “Mahlab is a spice made from ground cherry stones and, along with piney gum mastic, gives this Greek Easter bread its distinctive flavour. Hardboiled eggs dyed red and pressed into the bread give its distinctive look.”
The ingredients are: 500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting, 7g fast-action yeast, 10g salt, 60g butter, softened, 75g caster sugar, pinch gum mastic powder, pinch mahlab (also called mechlebe or mahlepi), pinch ground cinnamon, 1 orange, zest only, 150ml warm water, 150ml milk, handful sultanas, 3 free-range eggs, hardboiled in their shells with red food colouring and 1 free-range egg, beaten for egg wash.