Hefezopf (Yeast Braid)
- 350 grams all purpose flour
- 150 milliliters lukewarm milk
- 21 grams fresh yeast
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 50 grams soft butter
- 1 egg
- 1 dash salt
- egg or buttermilk for brushing
- sesame seeds or coarse sugar for decoration
- Dissolve sugar and yeast in the lukewarm milk.
- Mix flour and salt in a big bowl of a hand or stand mixer and stir in the milk mixture.
- Add the egg and let the mixer do it's thing until most of the ingredients are roughly combined.
- Add the soft butter and knead for 8-10 minutes. Make sure the butter is fully absorbed and evenly distributed. The dough should be smooth and come away from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 45 minutes (I have done anything from 30 to 60 minutes).
- Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into three equal pieces (or two or four depending on your braiding technique), and braid the dough.
- Place the braid on the prepared baking tray, cover it and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
- In the last 15 minutes of the raise, preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Brush the braid with buttermilk or egg wash, decorate with sesame (or coarse sugar or other seeds), and bake for 25 minutes.
- Have a warm piece with some cultured, salted butter.
flour, milliliters, yeast, sugar, butter, egg, salt, egg, sesame seeds
Taken from food52.com/recipes/40578-hefezopf-yeast-braid (may not work)