Christmas Bread

Boil the aniseed in 3 cups or water for 5 minutes

Pile flour in a bowl and make a small well in the centre.

Add the salt, sugar, mahlab, some cubes of butter, the mastic, and the tepid water with the aniseed

Knead the mixture until you have a silky and elastic dough.

Add the pine seed and – if necessary – some more water.

Place the bread dough on to 2 buttered baking trays, saving a small quantity for decoration.

Cover them and allow the dough to prove.

Re-knead for a little more and place on the trays.

Make strands of dough with the quantity saved earlier and place them in a cross-like pattern on the breads, adding the walnut in the centre.

Decorate with almonds, spread with water and milk, dredge with sesame seed and bake in a preheated oven at 130˚C for over one hour.