Author Notes
This is a recipe for Zopf, a traditional Swiss bread. It looks similar to Challah, but the crust is crunchier. I have braided my loaves with three sections of dough, but you can weave the dough in many other ways. Adapted from: http://www.about.ch/culture/food/zopf.html
Active Time: 40 minutes
Inactive Time: 3 - 3.5 hours —Sophie S.
Ingredients
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7 cups
all purpose flour
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1 tablespoon
salt
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3 cups
milk
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1 teaspoon
sugar
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2 tablespoons
active dry yeast
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1/2 cup
unsalted butter - room temperature
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water (for brushing)
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1
egg + 1 egg yolk (for brushing)
Directions
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Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl.
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Add the yeast and the sugar to the large bowl, and whisk to combine.
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Warm the milk so it is lukewarm.
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Add the yeast and the sugar to the warmed milk. Soften the butter.
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Add the butter and the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until combined. Knead for 10 minutes. Add flour while kneading as needed.
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After a hour, remove the dough from the bowl and weave it into a loaf. You can use three strands of dough to make a simple braid, or you can use four or six strands for a more complex design.
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Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the weaved loaf onto it. Brush the loaf with water and let the loaf sit for another 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit during this time.
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Whisk together the egg and the egg yolk to make an egg wash. After 30-60 minutes, brush the loaf with the egg wash and bake the bread at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 45 to 55 minutes. The loaf is done cooking when it is golden brown. Take the loaf out of the oven and allow to cool - it will continue to cook as it cools. Serve the loaf within 2 to 3 days.
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