Flaounes @ The Cypriot Easter Bread

Flaounces is also called as flaounca which is a special Easter and Ramadhan food eaten during those special day in Cyprus, an Island which located at Eastern Mediterranean Sea (off the coasts of Syria and Turkey). Cyprus is the third largest and most popular island in the Mediterranean. For me, its a brand new discovery and still google around searching the famous eatery around that island.  Not much luck though ! Anyway, this little flaounca is all ready for the trial.

Ingredients for dough :
500gm  all purpose flour
1 TB  yeast
1 TB  sugar
60gm  butter, melted
150ml  water
90ml  milk
1 tspn  salt

Method :
(1) combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a big mixing bowl then stir in water, milk & melted butter till soft dough is formed.
(2) knead till smooth then set aside to rest for an hour or till double in size.
(3) now, punch dough to release air and again knead till smooth.
(4) place dough to working table and divide into 2 portions.
(5) next, divide each into 8 portions.
Ingredients for cheese fillings :
250gm   cream cheese
250gm   cheddar cheese
1 tspn  salt
2 TB  sugar
70gm  all purpose flour
90gm   semolina flour
1/2 tspn  yeast
1 tspn  baking powder
120gm   raisins
3 eggs, beatened
1 lemon rinsed
some mint leaves, chopped (omitted)

Method :
(1) combine both cheese, sugar, both flour, baking powder, raisins & lemon zest into a big mixing bowl then stir to well mixed.
(2) now, add in yeast and eggs then stir till well cooperated.
(3) keep refrigerated for 30 minutes before used.

Ingredients :
1 cup   sesame seeds (for coating)
1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tspn  milk (for glazing)

TO ASSEMBLE
(1) flatten each dough with rolling pin to form a disk like sheet then place on a big scoop of cheese fillings at the center.
(2) fold two sides of sheet facing inward then following on the other side as well to form an open parcel, as picture shown.
(3) brush surface with egg glazing and coat each with sesame seed.

And its all ready to go into the oven ! Finally, bake at preheated oven 180'C for about 25 minutes or till golden brown.

The result of a perfect expansion on the fillings is satisfying but not the crust. Need more improvement on that one though ! Anyway, the bread is so tasty that I almost forgot about the imperfection..... LOL. Hope this will be something new on your Easter Day. Enjoy !