This Greek ceremonial bread, called Artos, is usually brought to church as an offering. It’s slightly sweet and very aromatic, great for breakfast or snack.
1tablespoonor 1 envelope (9 grams) active dry yeast
½cup(100 grams) sugar
2tablespoons(30 grams) maple syrup (or honey for non-vegans)
2tablespoons (30 grams) brandy or red wine
2tablespoons(27 grams) olive oil
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonsalt
extra flour for kneading
2tablespoonsboiling water
1teaspoonsugar
Instructions
Make the scented water: Transfer the water, the bay leaves, the cinnamon, and the cloves to a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it come to room temperature. Pass the water through a sieve.
Make the Artos bread: In the bowl of your electric mixer mix 1 cup of the scented water, 1 tablespoon for the flour, the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let it rest in a warm place for 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Then, add the rest of the flour, the sugar, the maple syrup or honey, the wine, the olive oil, the cinnamon and the salt. Knead with the dough attachment until a soft and pliable dough forms (about 10 minutes). If the dough is sticky, add the extra flour.
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rest in warm place until tripled in volume (about 2-3 hours).
Punch the dough to deflate it, knead, and shape it into a ball. If you have the Artos stamp, dust it with flour and press it firmly on the center of the ball. Otherwise, flatten the ball with your hands to form a disk. Let it rest in a warm place until almost doubled in volume. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Score the sides of the bread horizontally and bake for 50 minutes. If you notice that the surface browns quickly, cover with foil.
Take the bread out of the oven and let it rest on a rack. Mix the boiling water with the sugar and lightly brush the surface to make it glossy. Let it cool completely.
Eat!
Notes
This recipe makes 10 large servings. To make one Artos the traditional size, you’ll need one and a half of this recipe.