Macedonian Christopsomo (Χριστόψωμο Μακεδονίας)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •mortar and pestle for grinding mastic
• •round metal tapsi, 28cm
• •instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Grind the mastic

   Crush the mastic tears with 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a mortar until they become a fine powder. If you leave mastic in shards, it bakes into bitter little pebbles. Mix the flour, remaining sugar, salt, ground mastic, mahlepi if using, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Stir the honey into the lukewarm water, then add the yeast and leave it for 5 minutes, until it looks creamy at the surface. Pour this into the flour mixture with the olive oil and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough should feel soft and a little tacky, not wet.

3. 3

   Knead until smooth

   Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, or with a dough hook for about 6 minutes, until the dough is elastic and pulls into a smooth ball. Add only a dusting of flour if it sticks badly. Too much flour makes a heavy Christmas loaf, and Christopsomo should be bread with a tender crumb, not a brick with a cross on it.

4. 4

   Reserve and fold

   Cut off 90g of the smooth dough for the cross and cover it. If that small piece feels sticky, knead in 1 teaspoon flour so it rolls cleanly later. Flatten the larger dough, scatter over the walnuts and currants if using, then fold and knead gently until they are evenly tucked inside. This is the method that decides the loaf: the dough must be strong before the walnuts go in, and the cross dough must stay plain so the mark bakes clean.

   Cool the toasted walnuts fully before adding them. Warm nuts soften the dough and make shaping messy.
5. 5

   First rise

   Place both pieces of dough in lightly oiled bowls, cover, and let them rise in a warm room for 75 to 90 minutes, until the large dough has doubled. In a cold kitchen, give it more time. Watch the dough, not the clock.

6. 6

   Shape the loaf

   Turn the large dough onto a lightly floured surface and press out the air gently. Shape it into a tight round by tucking the edges underneath, then set it seam-side down in a 28cm round tapsi or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press it very lightly so it sits steady and round.

7. 7

   Lay the cross

   Divide the reserved dough into two pieces and roll each into a rope long enough to cross the loaf. Lay one rope north to south and the other east to west, tuck the ends just under the loaf, and press the walnut at the center. Cover loosely and let the loaf rise again for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy but not collapsed.

8. 8

   Glaze and bake

   Heat the oven to 180C. Brush the loaf gently with the beaten egg and water, then scatter sesame seeds over the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating once, until the crust is deep chestnut and the center reaches about 94C. If the top colors too quickly, lay a loose sheet of foil over it for the final 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Cool and cut

   Move the Christopsomo to a rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before cutting. The crumb sets as it cools, and if you slice too early it tears. Serve it at the Christmas table, then wrap what remains for coffee the next morning.

Chef Tips

• •Use real Chios mastic if you can get it, and use very little. More is not more here. Too much mastic turns medicinal and bosses the whole loaf around.
• •The walnuts should be chopped, not ground. Ground walnuts disappear into the dough and make it heavy; small pieces give the crumb its Christmas bite.
• •Christopsomo keeps well for 2 days once fully cooled and wrapped. After that, slice and toast it. Good olive oil, honey, and coffee will forgive the third day.

Advance Preparation

• •Toast the walnuts, grind the mastic, and measure the dry ingredients the day before.
• •For an overnight dough, knead and fold in the walnuts, then cover and refrigerate after the first 30 minutes of rising. Shape it cold in the morning and give the second rise 60 to 75 minutes.
• •The loaf can be baked 1 day ahead. Cool it completely before wrapping, or the crust softens too much.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 94g)