Thanks for this! How much of the spices did you use?

Curious about the mastiha. I can get it at a place I often shop in, but I've never used it. In what context is it used in this recipe? In the spice water perhaps?

Here’s what I boiled. Small saucer, less than a cup of water. I wouldn’t hesitate to make it stronger. I’m thinking add mastiha to the mix but I have no idea what it tastes like or even what it is or what form it takes. Haven’t gotten that far!

That's very interesting. The proportions are different, but it's very similar to my mother's challah, especially for Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year). I'm going to borrow the spice idea. :) Thanks!

Yes I definitely was thinking challah when I tasted it. Mainly just sweeter. Hold the braids, make it round, call it Greek. ;)

Sweet round challah for our New Year too. ;)

FOAS, that's really an interesting recipe, I'm going to have to try that. I like the idea of boiling the spices and using the water, just get a bit of spice instead of a big smack of it.

Happy New Year!

Annie

FOAS, the bread looks yummy. My grandmother and mom made vasilopita that was more like a very dense pound cake. No yeast at all. It was very simply flavored with just vanilla. Lots of butter and eggs, though. They’d both make individual cakes for each of their grandchildren and hide quarters in them. The tops were decorated with blanched whole almonds arranged in decorative patterns and brushed with an egg glaze.

As I mentioned, it was very dense and rich. If it got too dry after a few days, they’d cut it in 1 inch slices and toast/bake them until they resembled paximadia. The vasilopita was one of my favorite Greek sweets. I guess because it wasn’t honey drenched and flavored with cinnamon. That’s probably why I liked paximadia and koulouria so much.

Hi Shambo I was hoping you’d chime in. Yes most recipes I found were with no yeast. A Greek friend pointed me to this recipe which I just realized is the same one my MIL makes.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15723/vaselopita-greek-new-years-cake/

I mentioned on another thread that my wife remembers her Yia Yia’s being more bread than cake, which is what led me to make this one.

Annie - HNY to you, too! I’ll just re-reiterate, go stronger than I did e with the spice “tea”.

Thanks, FOAS, I'll remember that. With only 1/2 cup of the spiced water, I think it would have to be relatively pungent to actually add a definable flavor, so it would be hard to over do it. Of course, I've never had it, so I wouldn't know if it was wrong, LOL.

Hi, Shambo!!!

Annie