Vasilopita (Greek New Year Bread)
About this recipe
Healthiness : (62 votes)
Difficulty: 
Preparation Time: 2.5 hours
Cooking Time: 45 mins
Number of servings: 8-10
This is a vegetarian recipe
New Year Bread is traditionally cut at midnight on New Year's Eve. After baking, a coin is inserted through a slit in the base. The person who finds the coin will have luck in the New Year. Long ago the coin used to be a gold one, then later a silver coin was used. These could be put into the dough before baking. Nowadays because coins contain nickel, it is not a good idea to bake a coin in the cake. It traditionally contains a special Greek resin called masticha, which is ground up and added for flavour. This recipe contains nutmeg instead.

Preparation Time: 2.5 hours
Cooking Time: 45 mins
Number of servings: 8-10
This is a vegetarian recipe
New Year Bread is traditionally cut at midnight on New Year's Eve. After baking, a coin is inserted through a slit in the base. The person who finds the coin will have luck in the New Year. Long ago the coin used to be a gold one, then later a silver coin was used. These could be put into the dough before baking. Nowadays because coins contain nickel, it is not a good idea to bake a coin in the cake. It traditionally contains a special Greek resin called masticha, which is ground up and added for flavour. This recipe contains nutmeg instead.
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 175ml (5 fl oz) milk, lukewarm
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1½ x 5ml spoon (teaspoon) grated orange rind
- 175g (6oz) caster sugar
- 500g (1lb 2oz) plain flour
- ¼ x 5ml spoon (teaspoon) salt
- ½ x 5ml spoon (teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- ¼ x 5ml spoon (teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- 115g (4oz) butter, melted
- 1 egg, for glazing
- 1 handful of blanched split almonds (to decorate)
- Melted butter to grease the bowl
Equipment
- Cup
- Teaspoon
- Measuring Jug
- Food Brush
- Mixing Bowl
- Sieve
- Large Baking Sheet
- Greaseproof paper
- Wire Rack
Making and cooking it

- Preheat oven to 180°/350°f/Gas mark 4
- Dissolve yeast in 75ml (2 fl oz) of the milk. Add the rest of the milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar
- Sift 350g (14oz) flour, salt and spice into a warm bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour, gradually adding warm melted butter
- Mix dough with hands until it comes away from the sides
- Turn on to a floured surface and knead, adding the rest of the flour as needed, until dough is no longer sticky
- Knead for 10 minutes, dough will be smooth and elastic
- Place ball of dough in a clean bowl brushed with melted butter
- Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap.
- Leave to prove (rise) in a warm place until doubled in size
- Turn on to lightly floured surface
- Knead lightly to knock out the big ait bubbles and shape into a round loaf
- Place on a large greased baking sheet or in a greased 25cm (10") deep cake tin
- Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled - about 1 ½ to 2 hours
- Glaze with well-beaten egg and arrange blanched almonds in numbers to denote the New Year, pressing in lightly
- Bake in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested
- If bread browns too quickly, place a piece of greased brown paper on top
Cool on a wire rack

If you tried this recipe and liked it, tell us about it
Comments
There are 3 comments for this recipe.
Add a comment
View all comments, or Add a comment
Add a comment
Name: Maria | 31st December 2014 |
Will try this version tomorrow. It hss fewer eggs & less butter than the older recipes. Also, We always put in a dime wrapped in wax paper during the last kneading when making the loaf. This way no one can cheat not even the baker. Mastichi comes in a small jar available on line or any Greek deli. Wish me luck. |
Name: Suzanne Powell | 1st January 2014 |
Thank you. My Greek nana made this every year for New Year's day. She died before I was able to get her recipe (braided bread). This plus "super egg", dolmathes (fresh leaves, not jarred!) and roast lamb are my favorite Greek traditions passed down from her! |
Name: January | 14th January 2012 |
Smack-dab what I was looking for! |
Required fields are bold
|
Chop the plums into small pieces, removing any stalks or stones Put the plums and sugar into the...