Zopf Recipes

ZOPF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add the egg yolk, butter and 2 cups of bread flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 14 inch long cylinder. Braid the pieces together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, beat together egg white and water. Brush risen loaf with egg wash and bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25, until golden.

ZOPF (TRADITIONAL SWISS PLAITED BREAKFAST BREAD)

Steps:

• Mix together all ingredients except egg yolk to make a soft dough. Knead 10 minutes or so.
• Divide into 4 and make long sausages with the dough.
• Form the sausages into 2 square crosses.
• Plait each cross, using a 4 strand plait, so that you end up with two loaves of plaited bread.
• Put in the fridge until ready to bake- overnight, for example.
• Paint the loaves with a little of the egg yolk.
• Place a water bath under the oven shelf. Bake in the bottom half of a 220 degree Celcius preheated oven for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down and bake at 200 degrees for 40 minutes.

ZOPF OR BRAIDED BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the warm milk, sugar, salt, butter, egg yolk and 200 g flour.
• Mix with the hook for 1 minute.
• Add the yeast and mix for 2 minutes again.
• Add the remaining 300 g flour and work with the hook.
• When the dough has pulled together and becomes smooth and elastic (after about 5 minutes) you can form the braid.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 60 cm long cylinder (or 3 pieces of 30 cm). Braid the pieces together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. This is the method that I use: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcPnB0Sgc-Q.
• In a small bowl, mix egg white and water and brush the bread with this mixture.
• Let the dough rest after forming for 90 minutes until it doubles in size.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes (heat and timing are basing it on convection oven), until golden.

ZOPF (SWISS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk.
• Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add the egg yolk, butter and 2 cups of bread flour; stir well to combine.
• Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 14 inch long cylinder.
• Braid the pieces together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, beat together egg white and water.
• Brush risen loaf with egg wash.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25, until golden.

SWISS - ZOPF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk.
• Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add the egg yolk, butter and 2 cups of bread flour; stirring well to combine.
• Next, stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, for 7 - 8 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 14 inch long cylinder.
• Braid the pieces together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Lastly In a small bowl, beat together the egg white and water.
• Brush the risen loaf with the egg wash and bake for 20 to 25, until golden.