Choreg (Armenian Easter Bread)

About This Recipe

Choreg is the golden, braided sweet bread that appears on Armenian tables every Easter, its soft, buttery crumb perfumed with the distinctive flavors of mahleb (ground cherry pit kernels) and mastic (a resin from the mastic tree), spices that give it a flavor unlike any other bread, faintly floral, resinous, and slightly bitter-sweet. The dough is enriched with eggs and butter, braided into loaves or rolls, and often shaped to cradle a whole dyed red egg for symbolic display. Families traditionally bake large batches in the days before Easter, filling the house with the bread's unmistakable aroma, and choreg is eaten throughout Easter week alongside cured meats, cheese, and hard-boiled eggs. The bread keeps well and travels well, which is part of why it became such a strong marker of Armenian identity across the diaspora, appearing in bakeries from Yerevan to Los Angeles every spring.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 700 gall-purpose flour
• 14 ginstant yeast
• 150 gsugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tspground mahleb
• 1/2 tspground mastic (mastic gum, crushed with a little sugar)
• 240 mlwarm milk
• 4large eggs
• 170 gunsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1egg yolk, for egg wash
• 1 tbspmilk, for egg wash
• 3 tbspsesame seeds(for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix dry ingredients

   Whisk flour, yeast, sugar, salt, mahleb, and crushed mastic together in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Add wet ingredients

   Add warm milk and 3 of the eggs, mixing to combine, then slowly incorporate the melted butter, mixing until a soft dough forms.

3. 3

   Knead

   Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook, for 10 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic.

4. 4

   First rise

   Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours, until doubled.

5. 5

   Braid

   Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal strands. Roll each into a long rope and braid them together, tucking the ends underneath, then place on a lined baking tray.

6. 6

   Second rise

   Cover loosely and let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy.

7. 7

   Egg wash and bake

   Preheat oven to 180°C. Whisk the remaining egg with the milk and brush generously over the braid. Scatter sesame seeds over the top. Bake 28–32 minutes until deep golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

8. 8

   Cool

   Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, at least 1 hour, so the crumb sets properly.

Variations

• •

  Shape into individual rolls, tucking a whole dyed red hard-boiled egg into the center of each for a traditional Easter presentation.

• •

  Add golden raisins or a light orange zest glaze for a fruitier, brighter version.

• •

  Some families use a touch of ground anise instead of, or alongside, mahleb for a different aromatic note.

Storage

Store at room temperature in an airtight bag up to 5 days, or freeze whole or sliced up to 2 months. Refresh briefly in a low oven if it has firmed up after freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions