Hefezopf Friedas Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Add butter to scalded milk; add sugar; add yeast; beat together.
• Add juice of lemon and eggs; beat again.
• Add bread flour and salt; knead until smooth.
• Put in buttered bowl; cover with damp cloth; let rise until double; punch down.
• On floured board, knead dough again.
• Now forming comes; one can twist the loaf from 3 strands or divide in half.
• Start in middle and braid out to both ends; braid tight.
• Lay it on a greased baking sheet.
• Cover with damp towel.
• Beat egg; brush loaf.
• Let rise again.
• Sprinkle with kosher salt, big sugar crystals, and flaked almonds.
• Let rise while oven preheats.
• Bake at about 45 minutes baking; if getting too brown lower heat to 350.
• These are European baking temperatures so test the bread at 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. In the well, place yeast and 1 teaspoons sugar. Pour in a little lukewarm milk and stir until a liquid yeast batter forms. Cover and let rest 20-30 minutes.
• Slowly add the rest of the lukewarm milk, softened butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and cranberries. Beat with electric mixer (kneading attachments) until bubbles form and the dough pulls away from the bowl. Or knead until dough is smooth. Cover and let rest until double in size (about an hour).
• Punch down dough and on floured surface, separate dough into 3 balls and form 3 long ropes. Braid the 3 together into one long braid. Let rest about 15 minutes.
• Brush with egg yolk. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. I don't know what it's called in America, but we have what's called Hagelzucker (hail sugar). It's like tiny rocks of sugar. I also sprinkle this on top.
• Bake at 350°F for about an hour, or until browned and no longer 'doughy'. This produces a pretty large Hefezopf--so share with your friends!