Recipe: Kouloures (Greek Easter Bread)

Kouloures (Greek Easter Bread)
Source: Southern Living Magazine
Yield: 2 loaves

1 pkg Dry yeast
1/2 cup Warm water
1/2 cup Boiling water
1 tsp Cinnamon; ground
3/4 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1/4 cup Butter; melted
1/2 cup Warm milk
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
5 cups Flour (all-purpose)
1 Egg yolk; beaten
Sesame seeds
5 Eggs; hard-cooked; unshelled and dyed red

Soften yeast in warm water and set aside. Combine boiling water and cinnamon; set aside. Combine sugar and eggs; beat well. Add melted butter to egg mixture and beat again. Skim off 1/4 cup clear cinnamon water and add along with yeast and milk to egg mixture, blending well.

Combine dry ingredients and add to batter; knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Shape dough to fit into 2 greased 8 inch round pans; crisscross 2 strips of dough over each loaf. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

Brush loaves with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown. Push dyed eggs into bread immediately when loaves are removed from oven.