A soft, tender loaf of lightly sweetened yeast dough enriched with milk, butter and egg, braided from three strands and baked glossy and golden. Pearl sugar and sliced almonds on top add crunch, and the crumb pulls apart in feathery strands. Makes 1 loaf in about 3 hr 50 min.
Prep30 min
Cook35 min
Cooling30 min
Total
3 hr 50 min
Servings
12
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Scales from a half to a double batch. Laminated and yeasted doughs are easiest to handle one batch at a time; bake extra pans in rounds.
4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour, plus a little for shaping
In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the lukewarm whole milk and the egg and mix into a shaggy dough.
Knead by hand or with a dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes, then add the unsalted butter a little at a time and knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide it into 3 equal pieces, and roll each into a rope about 16 inches (40 cm) long, slightly thicker in the middle.
Lay the ropes side by side, pinch them together at one end, and braid loosely to the other end; pinch the ends and tuck them under. Set the braid on the lined baking sheet.
Whisk the egg yolk with the milk and brush the braid. Cover loosely and let rise until puffy and about 1 1/2 times its size, 30 to 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during this rise.
Brush the braid a second time with the egg wash and sprinkle with the pearl sugar and sliced almonds.
Bake until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath (190°F / 88°C inside), 30 to 35 minutes; cover loosely with foil after 20 minutes if it browns too fast.
Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Tips
Braid loosely: a tight braid tears open in the oven as the dough expands.
Brushing twice, once before and once after the second rise, gives the deepest shine.
Day-old Hefezopf makes excellent French toast or bread pudding.
Good with coffee with butter and jam.
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How long does it take to make hefezopf (german braided sweet bread)?
Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 45 minutes to rise and rest. The recipe makes 1 loaf (12 servings).
How should I store hefezopf (german braided sweet bread)?
Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Can I make hefezopf (german braided sweet bread) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Serve it with coffee with butter and jam.
Variations
Raisin braid (Rosinenzopf): knead in 120 g (3/4 cup) raisins, soaked 15 minutes in warm water and patted dry, at the end of kneading; bake 35 to 40 minutes.
Bite-size knots: divide the dough into 16 pieces, roll each into an 8-inch (20 cm) rope, tie into knots, and bake 15 to 18 minutes.
Four-strand braid: divide into 4 ropes for a taller, wider loaf; baking time unchanged.
Overnight rise: after kneading, refrigerate the covered dough 8 to 12 hours, then shape cold and let rise 60 to 75 minutes before baking.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.
258Calories / serving
7.6gFat
40.8gCarbs
6.1gProtein
8.7gSugar
Whole recipe (12 servings):
~3096 cal ·
91g fat ·
490g carbs ·
73g protein ·
104g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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