Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (2024)

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My mother loves any Sweet Bread made with yeast dough. Especially at Easter. This year (after watching far too many episodes of the British Baking Challenge) I decided that I would try something fancy. A Hefezopf. This Hefezopf Recipe is an adaptation of Luisa Weiss’s “Rosinenzopf ” recipe from her fantastic cookbook Classic German Baking.Don’t be intimidated by the Yeast, or kneading. The dough comes together beautifully in the mixer… and as for the kneading? I usually have around 10 minutes of aggression in me to take out on some dough.

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (1)

When I pulled out the ingredients, I was a bit irked to discover that we are out of raisins. I don’t mind, I’m not a big fan of the things, but Tech Guy loves them (he must have snacked them all away). Rather than leave the fruit out, I chopped up some dried cranberries. Maybe they aren’t “traditional” but they are quite yummy. In the back of my pantry I found the box of Hagel Zucker that I brought home from my last trip to Germany. (See…. filling up my suitcase at the grocery store in Germany does have its advantages… you never know when you will NEED it, but it’s nice to have when you do. ) This means I was able to sprinkle the crust with crunchy bits of sugar to add just an extra touch of sweetness. YUM. Don’t have Hagel Zucker (Pearl Sugar)? you can order them here–> Hagel Zucker, or use sliced almonds.

At Easter, you can use this same basic recipe and braid into a wreath shape to fill with colored Eggs… or even bake Hard Cooked Colored Eggs into the braids. (That will be something for me to try next.) A Hefezopf wreath makes a beautiful centerpiece on the Easter Breakfast table.

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (2)

But any day you make the Hefezopf recipe, you can serve it up with some good German butter and delicious jam for a wonderful breakfast treat or mid-day snack. Or just eat it plain. (I find that even though I stored the bread in a plastic zipper bag, it did dry out a bit overnight… so the extra butter schmeared on it helps… especially for palates who are used to softer, sweeter baked goods).

Hefezopf Recipe

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (3)

Hefezopf Recipe

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Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Milk
  • 500 gr / approx 4 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 50 gr / 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • Lemon Zest- approx 1 lemon worth
  • 6 TBL Butter at room temp.
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 cup Raisins/Cranberries
  • For Finishing-
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 1 tsp Whole Milk
  • Few Tbl. Hagel Zucker / Pearl Sugar
  • OR
  • Few Tbl. Sliced Almonds

Instructions

  • Warm the milk up a little. (I stuck my finger in it, it felt warm, and it worked. You don't want it too hot, it will kill the yeast)

  • In your mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, rapid rise yeast, salt, and the lemon peel.

  • In another bowl (I just used a measuring cup) combine the milk and eggs.. give them a quick mix.

  • Add the milk/egg mixture to the flour/sugar mix... then slice in the room temperature butter.

  • Mix until it all comes together in a sticky dough.

  • Dump the dough blob out onto a floured surface.

  • Now comes the work. Don't cheat!

  • Knead the dough for 10 15 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. (Note- even though I have a dough hook on my mixer, I did this by hand. I presume it can be done on the dough hook as well, I just chose to use it as a work out). Add a sprinkle of flour if the dough is too sticky.

  • Put the kneaded dough into a clean bowl, and cover with a dishcloth or plastic. Let rise 1 hour in a draft-free warm spot. It should double in size.

  • When the dough has risen, dump it out of the bowl and onto the counter.

  • Shape it a little flat, and add the raisins/cranberries.

  • Fold the dough over the fruits, then knead them in to distribute.

  • Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces (I actually weighed them out... )

  • Roll the pieces into 16 inch strands.

  • Lay them next to each other, squish them together at one end, then braid the length of the strand. Press the other end so they stay together, and tuck up under the end.

  • Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper

  • Place the braided loaf on the parchment paper, cover with a cloth, and let it rise for 20 minutes in a warm, draft-free space.

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • When the dough has risen, check to see if any of the raisins/cranberries are sticking out. Poke them in a bit, or remove them if they are.

  • Combine an Egg Yolk and 1 Tbl. Milk in a small bowl... really mix it until its not separate looking. Use a pastry brush, and brush the whole braid.

  • Sprinkle with Hagel Zucker/Pearl Sugar or Sliced Almonds.

  • Bake for 25 minutes, then check. If it's getting too brown at this point, lay a piece of foil over the loaf.

  • Bake an additional 5 minutes.

  • Cool on a rack

  • Best served the same day, but you can wrap it tightly to store for another day.

Notes

I baked the bread using 2% milk, and regular American butter. (I used what I had in the refrigerator). The original recipe calls for WHOLE Milk and European HIGH FAT butter. I imagine the flavor would be richer, and the taste moister with the addition of the extra fat. And it would be better the next day

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Use a SCALE to Measure Ingredients

One Kitchen tool I’ve come to depend on, especially when baking German Recipes, is my kitchen scale. Honestly, they aren’t expensive, and the results really are better. For example, this recipe uses 4 cups of flour… by weight this should be 500 grams. 500 grams NEVER changes, 4 cups is different every time you measure it out… depending on how the flour settles, and how moist the air is. It’s just more accurate when you usea scale.

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (7)Pohl Schmitt Mechanical/Digital Food Kitchen Scale – Multi-Transducer Scale for Greater Precision with Auto Shut-Off (Batt. Incl.), BlackHefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (8)

Step By Step- Hefezopf Recipe

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (9)

Mix the ingredients until the dough comes together… knead for 10 – 15 minutes

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (10)

Place the kneaded dough in a mixing bowl, cover and let rise in a draft-free spot for an hour

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (11)

Carefully knead in the Raisins/Cranberries

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (12)

Divide dough into 3 equal portions … roll those pieces into 16 inch strands … then braid

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (13)

Place the Braided Loaf on a parchment covered sheet-pan. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (14)

Brush the risen braid with a egg yolk/milk wash… then sprinkle with Hagel Zucker/Pearl Zucker or Sliced Almonds

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (15)

Bake 25 minutes, then check if it’s getting too dark. Cover with foil if it is. Bake another 5 minutes (30 total)

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (16)

Let the loaf finish cooling on a rack

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (17)

Slice and serve

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (18)

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (19)

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (20)

Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread (2024)

FAQs

What is the name of the sweet braided bread? ›

Many of us think of challah as a braided loaf of eggy, shiny, slightly sweet bread.

What ingredient in yeast bread control the growth of the yeast? ›

SALT: Salt is a very important ingredient in yeast breads. It is primarily used in breads to add flavor, but it also has another important role to play. It inhibits yeast fermentation, this strengthens the gluten formation which makes the bread last longer.

Does bread need yeast? ›

Fortunately, bread recipes are versatile, which means it's possible to make certain loaves without ingredients you previously thought were essential. Despite what is commonly believed, you don't have to use yeast to make bread.

What is yeast bread? ›

Yeast breads are made by the fermentation of wheat and rye flour doughs with yeasts, generally S. cerevisiae. Sourdough breads are fermented with lactic acid bacteria and yeast.

What country does braided bread come from? ›

Challah (/ˈxɑːlə/, Hebrew: חַלָּה ḥallā [χa'la] or Hallah [ħɑl'la]; plural: challot, Challoth or challos, also berches in Central Europe) is a special bread of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Shabbat and major Jewish holidays (other than Passover).

What part of animal are sweetbreads? ›

Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus (also called throat, gullet, or neck sweetbread) or pancreas (also called stomach, belly or heart sweetbread), typically from calf (French: ris de veau) or lamb (ris d'agneau).

Which is the strongest flour? ›

Bread Flour: With a protein content of 12 to 14 percent, bread flour is the strongest of all flours, providing the most structural support. This is especially important in yeasted breads, where a strong gluten network is required to contain the CO2 gases produced during fermentation.

What happens if you don't add salt to dough? ›

“Because salt helps to control fermentation, it's better to catch this one sooner than later in yeast doughs,” says Laurie. Without salt, your dough will rise faster than it normally would, leading to less flavor development and a weaker structure. To incorporate the salt, mix it with a few teaspoons of water.

What happens when you add too much yeast? ›

Too much or too little yeast can negatively affect the final product. For example, if there is too much yeast, the bread may collapse during baking due to the release of too much gas. Not enough yeast will result in a dense loaf of bread. The type of yeast also determines how quickly the bread will rise.

What happens if you bake bread without yeast? ›

Some differences could be that your bread will not rise as tall as you're used to, the flavor is a little different, or the texture may not be exactly the same. However, if you're out of yeast or don't have the time to wait for your bread to rise, these substitutes will undoubtedly get the job done.

Can I use baking powder instead of yeast for bread? ›

In baked goods, you can replace yeast with an equal amount of baking powder. Just keep in mind that the leavening effects of baking powder will not be as distinct as those of yeast. Baking powder causes baked goods to rise rapidly, but not to the same extent as yeast.

Can I add baking soda to bread dough? ›

The trick with baking soda in recipes is that the reaction that creates the bubbles is immediate, so you want to get the batter or dough into the oven quickly, before all the bubbles dissipate. That's why baking soda is used for “quick” recipes for biscuits or breads.

How much yeast for 2 cups of flour? ›

For each cup of flour (125 g), that is 1.5 g of instant yeast, or 1/2 teaspoon. For salt, I add 2% of the flour weight or 2.5 g per cup or about 0.4 teaspoons of table salt if all else is unsalted.

How did they get yeast in the old days? ›

History. It is not known when yeast was first used to bake bread; the earliest definite records come from Ancient Egypt. Researchers speculate that a mixture of flour meal and water was left longer than usual on a warm day and the yeasts that occur in natural contaminants of the flour caused it to ferment before baking ...

What would happen if a baker forgets to add yeast while making bread? ›

Answer: If a baker forgets to add yeast while making bread, the bread will not rise. Yeast is a fungus that produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the bread to rise.

What is the name of the Mexican sweet bread? ›

Conchas are also known as Pan Dulce and Sweet Bread. This Mexican breakfast item is made of a fluffy, butter brioche-like dough topped with a streusel topping that is scored. These colorful Mexican breakfast item is a crowd favorite.

What is the name of the sweet Spanish bread? ›

Señorita bread, also known as Spanish bread or pan de kastila, is a Filipino bread roll characteristically oblong or cylindrical in shape with a traditional sweet filling made of breadcrumbs, butter or margarine, and brown sugar. It is usually yellowish in color due to the use of eggs and butter.

What is the name of the sweet bread? ›

Sweet bread, also referred to as pan dulce, buns, or coffee bread, is a bread or cake that is typically sweet in flavor. Some sweet breads, such as Portuguese pão doce, may be prepared with potato flour, which imparts a sweet flavor and light texture to them.

What is the name of the sweet French bread? ›

Brioche. This sweet bread is a staple in both French boulangeries and patisseries. It's a versatile bread that can be eaten on its own, slathered in butter, topped with jam, or even as part of a savoury dish. Brioche is also one of the easier types of French bread to make, so it's perfect for beginners.

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