German Easter Bread (Hefezopf)
German Easter bread, also known as Osterzopf or Hefezopf, is a buttery yet lightly sweetened brioche bread that tastes best warm with a generous spread of butter.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 385kcal
Ingredients
Activate yeast
- 1/2 cup whole milk lukewarm
- 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
Wet ingredients
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
Dry ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp orange zest
Glaze
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the lukewarm milk and a pinch of sugar. Stir in the yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.1/2 cup whole milk, 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, 1 tbsp sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, spices, and orange zest. Create a well in your dry ingredients with your hand.3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp orange zest
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and add them slowly to the well.2 eggs
- Add the yeast mixture and raisins to the dry ingredients. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer with a dough hook to roughly combine the ingredients. Add the softened butter at this stage (not earlier).1/3 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup raisins
- Knead the sweet yeast dough for 5 minutes until smooth dough has formed.
- Form a soft dough ball and cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel for its first rise for 1 1/2 hours at room temperature until it has doubled in size. This might take slightly longer on a cold day.
- Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into three equal parts and roll each of them into a long log shape. Transfer the logs to a parchment paper lined baking sheet, combine them at one end, and start braiding. Tuck in both ends.
- Cover the yeast braid with a tea towel and for the second rise for another 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Whisk an egg yolk and a tablespoon of milk and brush the braid with the glaze.1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp milk
- Bake the braid for 20 minutes on the baking tray. Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving it.
Notes
Warm ingredients: Use lukewarm milk to activate the yeast with the sugar. Don't skip that step. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature as well. Again, you don't want to use cold ingredients to keep the yeast happy.
Adjust room temperature: If your dough isn't rising the room temperature might be too low. Place the bowl in a warm place in your house (hot water cupboard, in the sun), or wrap a towel or blanket around it to keep it cozy.
Storage: You can store any leftover brioche in an airtight container, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap for up to 4 days. It also stores well in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer-proof container.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
