The Hungry Bites

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Categories
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef and veal
      • Chicken and Poultry
      • Lamb and Goat
      • Pork
      • Fish and seafood
      • Other Meats
      • Legumes
      • Salad Meals
    • Side Dishes
    • Greek Appetizers and Meze
    • Pasta and rice
    • Soups and stews
    • One pan - One pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Salads
    • Greek Desserts and Sweets
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes and muffins
      • Cookies
      • Chocolate
      • Ice Cream
      • Pies Bars and Tarts
      • Puddings, jams and creams
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Bread Recipes
    • Greek Drinks
    • Dietary
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Gluten-free
      • Healthy
  • The Mediterranean Diet
  • About The Hungry Bites
    • Contact me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer
  • Recipes
  • MDiet
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer
    • Recipes
    • MDiet
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Greek Desserts and Sweets

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto)

    Modified: Jul 17, 2021 · Published: Apr 17, 2019 by Makos

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This is the traditional recipe for Greek Easter bread (tsoureki), but shaped in a much easier way, sprinkled with mahleb sugar, and stuffed with some chocolate because why not.

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto)

    Greek Easter is all about dyed red eggs, roast lamb (or goat) and tsoureki 🙂 Tsoureki is a Greek sweet bread made during Easter and its main characteristic is its stringy and fluffy texture and the intoxicating aroma from ground mahleb (or mahlepi), cinnamon, cardamom, lemon or orange zest and maybe some groung mastic.

    Mahleb is the seed from a variety of sour cherry tree and has a very distinct aroma that no other spice can imitate. If you can’t find it anywhere, you can substitute it with ⅛ teaspoon of almond extract and ¼ teaspoon of cherry flavor. However, even if you don't use the mahleb, this bread will still be delicious!

    The shape of tsoureki

    The shapes of Tsoureki can be many, but the most common ones are a braided wreath (like this olive oil Greak Easter Bread) or a plain braid (with 3, 5, or 7 strings). However, if you’re feeling intimidated by this kind of shaping, you can choose to make much easier shapes and why not just a plain loaf.

    I wanted to make an easier version of this Greek Easter bread, one that wouldn't require elaborate handling and complex techniques, because sometimes this can prevent someone from trying a recipe, and this is a recipe you should definitely try!

    So I just pinched small pieces of dough, rolled them into balls between my hands and transferred them into the cake pan. As you can imagine, I borrowed this technique from monkey bread.

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto) 2

    How to stuff your Greek Easter bread with chocolate

    Since these days chocolate eggs are practically everywhere, I decided to use them as a filling for this tsoureki. I've also used leftover chocolate eggs to make a chocolate sauce for eggless faux tiramisu in a glass. However, you can use your favorite chocolate bar or even chocolate chips.

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto) 3

    Scatter some pieces of chopped chocolate eggs (or chopped dark chocolate) among the balls of dough and sprinkle them with a mix of brown sugar, mahleb and cinnamon, just to make things more interesting. You can also place a piece of chocolate in the center of some dough balls if you're searching for an excuse to use more chocolate 🙂

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto) 4

    Some notes/tips:

    • Don’t add too much flour! Add most of the flour to the wet ingredients, keeping a small amount on the side and add it only if you feel it is necessary. The dough should be somewhat sticky, but the longer you knead it, the more elastic and pliable it will become.
    • Thorough kneading results in a stringy, pliable dough. A stand mixer and a small amount of dough (for the mixer to not overheat) work best.
    • Preferably, after the first rise, let the dough rest in the fridge overnight. This will enhance the flavor and the texture of your tsoureki.
    • Don’t overbake (but don’t underbake it neither 🙂 ). Tsoureki should retain some moisture for the best stringy texture to shine!
    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto) 5

    Similar recipes you may like:

    • White chocolate, saffron, and goji berry Babka
    • Italian Christmas Bread (Panettone)

    Share this post if you liked it (share buttons at the top!) and don’t forget to subscribe for new recipes or follow me on Instagram,   Pinterest,   Facebook

    📖 Recipe

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto) feat

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto)

    Makos
    This is the traditional recipe for Greek Easter bread (tsoureki), but shaped in a much easier way, sprinkled with mahleb sugar, and stuffed with some chocolate because why not.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 50 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Resting time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack, Sweet
    Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
    Servings 10
    Calories 322 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    For the dough:

    • ⅓ cup (80 grams) warm milk
    • 2 large eggs beaten (110 grams without the shells) – reserve 1 tablespoon for the eggwash
    • 2 teaspoons (6 grams) active dry yeast
    • 2 ⅔ cups (370 grams) bread flour
    • ½ cup (110 grams) white sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground mahleb
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
    • ⅓ cup (80 grams) butter, room temperature

    For the mahleb/sugar mixture:

    • ¼ cup light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground mahleb
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    For the eggwash:

    • the 1 tablespoon reserved beaten egg
    • 1 tablespoon milk
    • pinch of sugar

    For the filling

    • 15-20 mini chocolate eggs cut in half [or 1 chocolate bar (about 3.5oz/100grams), chopped]

    Equipment

    • One loaf pan approximately 10 x 4 inch (25cm x 11cm) greased and lined with baking paper

    Instructions
     

    • Proof the yeast: Transfer the milk, the yeast, one tablespoon of the white sugar and two tablespoons of the flour to the bowl of your electric mixer and stir to combine. Let it rest until foamy (this is a great way to check if the yeast is active).
    • Prepare the dough: Add the rest of the flour, the sugar, the butter, the salt, and the spices to the bowl of youe electric mixer. Break the eggs into a small bowl, beat them with a fork, and reserve one tablespoon into a small cup. Add the remaining eggs to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Using the dough attachment, knead the dough until very soft and elastic, about 20 minutes (or more!). The dough may be a little sticky, but that’s ok.
    • First Rise: Let the dough rest in a warm place until tripled in volume (a closed oven with only the oven-light on, should do the trick). It may take 2-3 hours depending on the yeast and the rest of the conditions. When the dough has tripled in volume, knead again for 5 minutes. (At this stage you can store the dough in the fridge for up to 2 days).
    • Shaping and Second Rise: Line a rectangular cake tin with baking paper. Pinch small pieces of dough, form them into balls between your hands, and transfer them into the cake tin in one layer. Sprinkle with some mahleb-sugar mixture and scatter most of the chocolate eggs among the balls of dough. Continue with the rest of the dough, sprinkling with mahlep sugar from time to time.. You can also place a piece of chocolate in the the center of some of the balls. When all the dough is used, press firmly the surface of the tsoureki with your hands to level it. Transfer to a warm place until almost doubled in volume (about 1-2 hours)
    • Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C).
    • Bake: Beat the reserved egg with 1 tablespoon milk and a pinch of sugar, and gently brush the surface of the bread. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the tsoureki comes out clean. If you notice the surface getting brown too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil.
    • Take the bread out of the oven and let it rest on a rack to cool. Eat!

    Notes

    If you use milk chocolate you may want to reduce the white sugar for the dough to ⅓ of a cup (70 grams).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 322kcal
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you like this recipe, Pin it!

    Chocolate stuffed Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki gemisto) 6

    More Desserts and Sweets

    • A piece of Revani cake on a plate.
      Revani Recipe: Greek Semolina Cake with Syrup
    • A plate with a slice of pistachio cheesecake with chocolate crust and chocolate topping.
      Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake (Dubai Style)
    • Koulourakia cookies on parchment paper.
      Koulourakia: Greek Easter Cookies Recipe
    • Pasteli bars - featured image.
      Pasteli: Greek Honey Sesame Bars Recipe

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Nick @ GreekBoston.com says

      April 30, 2019 at 6:59 pm

      Traditional Tsourekia is adorned with a red egg, but who says that needs to be a hard and fast rule? It can also be delicious stuffing it with chocolate! This recipe is a modern twist to an old classic.

      Reply
      • Makos says

        April 30, 2019 at 7:28 pm

        OMG I can't believe I forgot to mention that! Yes, a red egg is almost always put amongst the strands of dough, but chocolate is not bad either ?, haha

        Reply
    author profile image.

    Welcome to The Hungry Bites, your go-to destination for authentic Greek and Mediterranean recipes, straight from the heart of the Aegean.

    About →

    Summer Recipes

    • Dolma on a plate.
      BEST Dolma: Stuffed Grape Vine Leaves with Meat
    • Featured image for creamy Greek pasta salad.
      Creamy Greek pasta salad (with healthy yogurt dressing)
    • A stuffed tomato and pepper on a plate.
      Easy Gemista: Greek stuffed peppers & tomatoes
    • Greek baked octopus in foil featured image.
      Easy Mediterranean baked octopus recipe (in foil)
    • Greek yogurt marinated chicken breasts.
      Greek yogurt chicken marinade—it doubles as a sauce
    • Greek salad featured image.
      Traditional Greek salad (authentic recipe by a Greek)
    • Cretan dakos salad on a plate.
      Traditional Greek Dakos Salad Recipe (by a Cretan)
    • Ouzo cocktails
      Greek booze: 5 Ouzo Cocktails You Need to Try

    Popular Recipes

    • Featured image: 3 slices of spanakopita stacked the one on the other.
      Easy Greek Spinach Pie (Traditional Spanakopita)
    • Oven baked swordfish featured image.
      Oven baked swordfish recipe with lemon vinaigrette
    • A bowl with lemon garlic pearled couscous.
      Best Lemon Garlic Pearl Couscous Recipe
    • Baked chicken leg on a plate with potatoes, carrots and cauliflower.
      Greek baked chicken recipe (with potatoes)
    • Easy pistachio cream in a jar, featured image.
      2-ingredient Pistachio Cream Recipe
    • Pistachio chocolate cake featured image.
      Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake
    • Italian almond cookies featured image.
      Easy Italian almond cookies recipe - soft amaretti
    • Creme brulee featured image
      Classic French Crème brûlée recipe (in 5 easy steps)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As Seen In

    GREATIST, Buzzfeed, Saveur, wellandgood, verywellfit, popsugar, everydayhealth, brit.co, Health.com, Livestrong, Thefeedfeed, Marie Claire, Thepappaspost.

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2016-2025 The Hungry Bites

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required