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Quick Braided Bread (Swiss Zopf)

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An airy, golden and glossy braided bread from just two strands, quickly shaped and perfect for breakfast or brunch. Few basic ingredients, short hands-on work, the rest is proving time.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Gehzeit 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Baking, Breakfast
Cuisine: Swiss
Calories: 166
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g wheat flour or Zopfmehl Swiss braid flour
  • ½ cube fresh yeast 1 sachet dried yeast or
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 60 g butter diced
  • 300 ml milk
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp milk or cream for brushing

Equipment

  • bowl
  • Baking tray
  • baking paper
  • Pastry brush
  • Wire rack

Method
 

  1. Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk and let it stand briefly. Then combine with the flour, butter, salt and sugar in a bowl and knead into a soft, smooth dough.
  2. Cover the dough and let it prove at room temperature for approx. 1½ hours, until doubled in volume.
  3. Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a strand about 60 cm long and braid them together. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and let rest for another approx. 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 390 °F (conventional top and bottom heat).
  5. Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk or cream and brush it evenly over the braid.
  6. Bake in the lower half of the oven for approx. 35 minutes until golden brown. If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
  7. Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy fresh.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 73mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 150IUCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg

Video

Notes

  • Make ahead: rest the kneaded dough covered in the fridge overnight, take it out about 1½ hours before baking, bring to room temperature for an hour, then braid.
  • Hot-day tip: use cold flour and milk, take the butter cool from the fridge and chill the shaped braid on its tray for 15 minutes before baking so the butter dough stays firm.
  • Storage: wrapped in a cloth at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Frozen in portions for about 1 month.

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