ZOPF-German Bread

I got this from a German exchange student, so you know it's authentic

• 6 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoon yeast
• 1 1/4 cup warm milk (between 105-115 degrees F)
• 2 eggs room-temperature (warm up in a bowl of hot water)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
• egg white beaten
• slivered Almonds (optional)

1. Dissolve yeast into the warm milk.

2. Put the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and milk mixture into a large bowl. Mix it with your hands, until well mixed.  Add the vanilla and lemon zest and mix it again.

3.  As soon as the dough is mixed (it will be slightly sticky), knead it on the table.  The longer and harder you knead the dough the better your "ZOPF" will turn out.

4. After the dough has been kneaded. Put the dough into a large bowl and cover it. Place the dough in a warm place (I set on my stove after heating the oven up to 200 degrees, once it is preheated, turn off the oven, so that the rising spot doesn't get too warm)

5. Let dough rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

6. When dough is done rising, cut the dough into 3 equal size pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, the length of a cookie sheet.

7.  Lay the three ropes on the greased cookie sheet. Braid the three ropes together. 

8. Brush the egg white on the bread

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

 

Suzanne's note: This bread is really good. The lemon and vanilla combine to give this bread a sweet (not too sweet) taste. It is good.