The first time I made this recipe I was in college when my friends and I made Easter dinner together. It is a braided swiss white bread. I loved how soft and dense the bread is and also how beautiful it looks with the braid! Not to mention, your entire house smells heavenly from baking it!!
I was lucky enough to get this recipe from my wonderful friend Laura… and I think about her every time I make it — Thanks La!! Her family absolutely loves bread… and cheese (I think that’s part of the reason we get along so well!). To me, they are the experts on both. I can’t remember a time going to their home in Wisconsin and not eating fresh baked bread from their oven.
Zopf Bread (makes one loaf)
- 4 cups flour
- 3/4 stick butter (melted)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package of yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- Mix the years, cold milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, and beaten egg together in the bowl of an electric mixer until combine. Add the flour and knead with a dough hook for 3 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled. This should take about an hour.
- Once dough has risen, divide into three equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rope. Form a bread.
- Place the braided dough on a greased cookie sheet and cover for 15 minutes.
- Then brush with egg yolk.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
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