Dissolve the yeast with lukewarm water or milk and gradually add 1 cup of flour. Whisk the batter and cover for 1 hour.

Put the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the vanillins, the salt, the mahlab, the cardamom seeds and the orange zest.

Beat the eggs with the sugar in the mixer thoroughly and gradually add the orange juice.

In a small pot melt the margarine with the oil. You can also use high quality butter if you like.

Warm the milk on its own as much as you can tolerate with your hand.

Next, add the yeast in the bowl with the flour, then the egg mixture, the warm milk and a bit more than half of the margarine and oil.

Knead well, always folding from the sides to the center.

Finally add the rest of the margarine and oil and continue kneading for a while.

Cover the bowl with baking paper and wrap with a plastic bag and a blanket on top. Leave for 2 hours so that the dough rises.

Open it, knead again and leave to rise for an additional 1 hour.

Braid the tsourekia however you like and let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Beat an egg with 1 tsp of condensed milk and brush the tsourekia. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or almonds.

Bake at 170°c in a convection oven until they are golden brown, for about 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the shape of the tsourekia that we have.