Home / Stories / Recipe: Christopsomo, a Greek Christmas Bread Enriched with Symbolism

Recipe: Christopsomo, a Greek Christmas Bread Enriched with Symbolism

Name: Christopsomo, a Greek Christmas Bread Enriched with Symbolism
Cuisine: Athens
Ingredients: 360 gr hard wheat flour (bread flour); 360 gr all-purpose white flour (or 720 gr all-purpose white flour if bread flour is available); 17 gr fresh yeast (block yeast) or sourdough starter (or 9 gr instant yeast); 10 gr salt; 1-1 ½ tbsp anise seeds; ¾ tbsp powdered cinnamon; ½ tsp ground clove; ¾ tsp ground nutmeg; 1 ½ tbsp sugar; 420 ml warm water; 3-4 tbsp sesame seeds; 1 walnut in its shell

By Carolina Doriti

Jump to recipe

Recipe Information

The recipe I am sharing is a simple Christopsomo – a large, round loaf topped with a big dough cross, a shelled walnut and sesame seeds, no complicated or elaborate decorations in sight. This is the version that you most often see in bakeries in Athens.

To honor its symbolic importance, high-quality ingredients are used for this particular bread such as honey, rosewater, nuts, sesame and aromatic spices such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, anise seeds and cumin. I put anise seeds in the bread mix for extra sweetness and aroma, while the hints of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg add an extra festive flair!

Ingredients

360 gr hard wheat flour (bread flour)
360 gr all-purpose white flour (or 720 gr all-purpose white flour if bread flour is available)
17 gr fresh yeast (block yeast) or sourdough starter (or 9 gr instant yeast)
10 gr salt
1-1 ½ tbsp anise seeds
¾ tbsp powdered cinnamon
½ tsp ground clove
¾ tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ tbsp sugar
420 ml warm water
3-4 tbsp sesame seeds
1 walnut in its shell

Preparation

Step One

Mix the two flours in a large bowl. With your hands shred the yeast (if using fresh yeast or sourdough starter) and add it to the flour mix.

Step Two

Add in the cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, anise seeds and sugar, and mix. Make a well in the center. Gradually pour in the water and salt as you mix with your hands. Knead for about 10-15 minutes. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rest and rise for 1-1.5 hours. Uncover and knead again to release the air.

Step Three

Cut 260 gr from the dough and set aside. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. With the rest of the dough shape a round loaf and place on the parchment paper. Divide the remaining 260 gr of dough into two equal pieces of 130 gr. Roll them into two long ropes of equal length and then cut their ends with a knife (see the above photo).

Step Four

Spray the loaf with water and place the two long ropes crosswise, attaching the end pieces of each rope at the bottom of the loaf. Spray again with water and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Allow the loaf to rise once more for 45 minutes.

Place the walnut in the center and let rise again for another 45-60 minutes.

Step Five

Preheat oven to 230 degrees C. Spray the bread with water to create a crispy crust. Alternatively you can spray it with sugar water for a sweeter and glossier result. Place bread on the lowest rack and bake for 20 minutes at 230 degrees C. Bring the heat down to 200 degrees C and bake for another 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down on a clean towel or a rack.

To convert metric measurements to US and British kitchen units, click here.

Written & photos by Carolina Doriti

Published on December 14, 2020

As one approaches the port of Ermoupolis (named after Hermes, the god of commerce), the main town of the island of Syros and capital of the Cyclades, one cannot help but marvel at its beauty and grandeur. Imposing public buildings and private mansions, marble-paved streets, a large Italian-style piazza and numerous churches make the city one of the best preserved examples of 19th-century architecture in Greece. This should not come as a surprise: in the aftermath of the 1821 Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, Syros developed into an important commercial, cultural and industrial center, as refugees from Asia Minor, Chios, Crete and other areas found a safe haven from the war on the small island.

Athens

Athens’ New-School Wine Bars

The economic crisis that has plagued Greece for the past five years has led to changes on the Athenian culinary scene, including the opening of three new types of venues that seem to be reflective of the times. The first two – cupcake places and frozen yogurt shops – are imports from abroad, perhaps indicative of a population in need of something sweet, comforting and affordable. On the other hand, the third trend, wine bars, digs deep into Greece’s roots, representing a fascinating phenomenon in a country that is one of the world’s oldest wine-producing regions. In antiquity Greek wine was exported across the Mediterranean, and the winemaking tradition has remained strong through the millennia. Yet although there are numerous wineries around the country, in the modern era Greek wine has never achieved the place it deserves on the international market. Production levels are low and vintners have long been unsure of how to market abroad.

Athens

Ask CB: Smoke-Free Athens?

Dear Culinary Backstreets, I heard from some friends that everyone smokes in restaurants in Athens, despite the fact that it is not officially permitted. What is the situation, and is there anywhere we can dine without being exposed to smoke?