for 950 g

Yeast dough

500 g	white flour
1 ½ tsp	salt
2 tbsp	sugar
¼ cube	yeast (approx. 10 g), crumbled
2 ½ dl	water
1	egg
50 g	butter, soft

Almond filling

150 g	almond paste
2 tbsp	lemon juice

Zopf

1	egg, beaten
1 tbsp	flaked almonds
1 tbsp	decorating sugar

How it's done

Yeast dough

Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Add the water, egg and butter, knead for approx. 10 mins. to form a soft, smooth dough. Cover and leave to rise at room temperature for approx. 1½ hrs. until doubled in size.

Almond filling

Combine the almond mixture with the lemon juice.

Zopf

Divide the dough into thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (approx. 15 x 30 cm). Spread one third of the almond filling on top of each piece, roll up from the long edge and shape into rolls approx. 40 cm long. Braid the three strands of dough to form a loaf, place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover and leave to rise for a further 30 mins. Brush with egg, sprinkle with flaked almonds and sugar crystals.

To bake

Approx. 40 mins. in the lower half of an oven preheated to 180°C. Remove from the oven, slide the bread onto a rack and leave to cool.

Show complete recipe