Braided Bread Recipe – Swiss Butterzopf

5 from 1 vote

Braided Bread Recipe – Swiss Butterzopf

Soft Swiss braided bread made with milk, butter, flour, and yeast. This golden loaf is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or serving with sweet and savory toppings.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Rising time1 20

Total Time2 20

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: Swiss

Diet: Halal, Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Calories: 170kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

4 cups plain white flour / all purpose flour (17 ½ oz/500 grams)
1 ¼ cups semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
3 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter (1 ¾ oz/50 grams)
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon fast action dried yeast (small pack)
1 egg yolk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and add the cold milk, making sure the mixture is lukewarm before using.
If using active dry yeast, stir it into the warm milk mixture with the sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until it starts to foam. If using fast-action dried yeast, add it directly to the flour.
Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Give it a quick mix.
Pour in the milk mixture and start mixing on low speed.
Once the flour starts coming together, increase the speed to medium and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky, but not sticky.

First Rise and Shape

Remove the dough from the bowl, shape it into a ball, and lightly grease the mixer bowl.
Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently.
Turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into three equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a long rope, about 24 to 28 inches / 60 to 70 cm long.
Pinch the ends together and braid the ropes loosely. Tuck the ends under to give the loaf a neat shape.

Second Rising and Baking

Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover it lightly with a cloth and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes, until slightly puffed.
Preheat the oven to 356°F / 180°C.
Beat the egg yolk and gently brush it over the braid.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes.
Move the bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

Video

Notes

Use lukewarm milk, not hot milk. If the liquid is too hot, it can damage the yeast and stop the dough from rising properly.
If using fast-action dried yeast, add it straight to the flour. If using active dry yeast, mix it with the warm milk and sugar first and wait until it foams.
The dough should be soft and slightly tacky after kneading. If it feels very sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Do not rush the first rise. The dough should double in size before shaping.
Roll the three dough ropes to a similar length and thickness. This helps the braid look even and bake properly.
Braid the dough loosely. A tight braid can tear or split as the loaf rises.
Let the bread cool before slicing. This helps the crumb set and stops the inside from turning gummy.

Nutrition