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.

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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)

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Let the loaf finish cooling on a rack

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Slice and serve

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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? ›

Challah is often cited as one of the most popular Jewish foods. A delicious, braided egg bread served on Shabbat, traditionally by Ashkenazi communities, it is clear that challah has been heavily influenced by other European braided breads.

What is the most popular German bread? ›

Pumpernickel: A rich dark bread made with 100% rye, originating in the northern areas of Germany and one of our most famous breads. Pumpernickel is baked over a long period of time at low temperatures, and often served as hors d'oeuvres with cucumbers or fish.

What makes German bread special? ›

Rye- and spelt-based breads have a coarse, compact, and dense texture, which is a significant deviation from bread in the rest of Europe. Bread in other European countries is predominantly white and fluffy, without much substance. German bread on the other hand is filling and full of flavor.

What is the name of the dark German bread? ›

Pumpernickel is a traditional German bread that is known for its dark colour, dense texture, and distinctive flavour. It is made from a mixture of rye flour, whole rye grains, and sometimes a small amount of wheat flour, as well as water, salt, and sometimes molasses or caramel colouring.

What is the braided bread eaten by Jews? ›

Many of us think of challah as a braided loaf of eggy, shiny, slightly sweet bread. But the term “challah” doesn't have anything to do with a bread's appearance or even a specific kind of bread. Instead, it's any kind of bread (lechem) that has been sanctified in a certain way.

Why is it called sweetbreads? ›

The word "sweetbread" was first used in the 16th century, but the reason behind the name is unknown. Sweet is perhaps used since the thymus is sweeter and richer tasting than muscle flesh. Bread may come from brede “roasted meat,” or is used because bread was another name for morsel.

Is German bread healthier than American bread? ›

Bread in Germany, on the other hand, contains less additives and preservatives due to age-old baking traditions, strict food laws and rigorous quality standards for bakers. The USA has liberal laws for the application of pesticides.

What is the most delicious bread in the world? ›

World's best breads: the list of winners
  • Butter garlic naan (India)
  • Nan-e barbari (Iran)
  • Pan de yuca (Colombia)
  • Focaccia di Recco col formaggio (Italy)
  • Baguette (France)
  • Naan (India)
  • Piadina Romagnola (Italy)
  • Tarte flambée (France)
Oct 4, 2023

What is German favorite food? ›

These are considered to be national dishes. Of all these regional and national dishes, Germany is most famous for Currywurst, sausages, pretzels and Black Forest Gateau, but as you can see, there is plenty more to German cuisine than just these.

What do Germans call bread? ›

"Brötchen" ("Brot" is German for bread, the -"chen" is a diminutive suffix) are a staple all over the German-speaking world, but the word used to order the crusty rolls at the bakery counter vary greatly.

Which country makes the best bread in the world? ›

Iceland. Iceland is considered one of the countries with the best bread in the world, much of which can be attributed to the unique methods it employs for its bread-making. The Icelandic rye bread is high in sugar and is baked underground using bubbling lava sand as the heat source.

What do Germans eat with bread? ›

Germans are serious about their baked goods and that starts with breakfast. A German breakfast consists of hearty Brot (breads) and Brötchen (rolls), decorated with butter, sweet jams and local honey, thinly sliced meats, cheese and even some Leberwurst.

Why is it called 647 bread? ›

She was referring to Schmidt brand 647 bread - named for its 6 grams of carbs, 40 calories, and 7 grams of fiber.

What kind of bread do Russians eat? ›

One of the most famous types of bread in Russia is known as Borodinsky bread. In addition to flour and yeast, this special bread contains rye malt, molasses and coriander, resulting in a characteristically sweet and malty flavour.

What is rye bread called in Germany? ›

German-style pumpernickel, a dark, dense, and close-textured loaf, is made from crushed or ground whole rye grains, usually without wheat flour, baked for long periods at a low temperature in a covered tin.

What is another name for braided bread? ›

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 are sweet bread buns called? ›

Sweet bread, also referred to as pan dulce, buns, or coffee bread, is a bread or cake that is typically sweet in flavor.

What are the names for 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). Sweetbreads have a rich, slightly gamey flavor and a tender, succulent texture.

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