New Year’s Bread-Vasilopita

May 08, 2023May 8, 20230 1

Greek New Year's Bread-Vasilopita Recipe

by The Chefin Bread

Prep

20 min

Cook

60 min

Ready In

80 min

Level

Easy

Rating

Ingredients

Nutrision Information

Servings Per Recipe

Calories

508

Sugar

38g

Fat

18g

Vasilopita is a traditional Greek sweet bread that is eaten on New Year's Day to celebrate the start of a new year. The bread is typically baked with a hidden coin inside, and the person who finds the coin is said to have good luck for the year. This bread is sweet and savory, with a unique blend of flavors from cognac, orange zest, and almonds. Traditionally, the bread is cut into slices and served as a dessert or sweet breakfast item. This recipe can be enjoyed by anyone looking to bring some Greek culture and tradition into their home.

Instructions

1.	Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2.	In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.
3.	Slowly add the melted butter, salt, cognac, and orange juice and zest to the bowl, mixing well to combine.
4.	In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
5.	Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon.
6.	In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and then fold them into the batter using a rubber spatula.
7.	Grease a 10-inch cake pan and pour in the batter.
8.	Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the bread is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9.	Cool on a wire rack before serving.

PROS

Vasilopita is a delicious Greek bread sweetened with sugar, flavored with orange and cognac, and topped with blanched almonds.

This bread is traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day and is thought to bring good luck and fortune to the person who gets the lucky coin baked inside.

CONS

This bread contains a lot of sugar and butter, so it should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

Although Vasilopita is not particularly healthy, it can be enjoyed as an occasional treat in moderation.
The orange and almonds in this recipe both provide a good source of vitamin C and healthy fats.

	5 1/2 cups flour
	6 eggs , separated
	2 cups sugar
	3/4 cup melted butter
	1/4 teaspoon salt
	1 ounce cognac
	1 orange , juice and grated rind
	4 teaspoons baking powder