All Saint’s Day Striezel

Hefezopf

This braided sweet bread is given to children by their godparents as a gift on All-Saints-Day. With a bit of extra time, you can make it in your own home and give to your loved-ones!

• 1-1/2 oz. yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1-1/4 C. warm milk
• 1/2 C. dried currants or raisins
• 4 tablespoons rum
• 2-2/3 C. flour
• 3/4 stick butter, plus butter for coating
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 3/4 C. minced hazelnuts
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch salt

In a bowl combine yeast with one tablespoon sugar and about 3/4 C. warm milk. Allow the mixture to ferment (approximately 15 minutes). Meanwhile rinse and drain the dried currants and soak them in rum.

Melt butter. Blend well all ingredients into yeast mixture (butter, flour, remaining milk, sugar, egg, salt, hazelnuts, and rum-currants) and form into a dough. Knead on a floured board until dough is elastic and no longer sticks to the board. Let covered dough rise in a warm place until double in bulk (at least 1-1/2 hours). Knead dough again and divide into three pieces. Roll pieces on floured board to an approximate length of 20 inches and braid them. Place on a buttered baking sheet and let rise covered another 30 minutes. Brush with melted butter and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400° F about 25 mins.

Source: www.germany.info