We are on the last
day of the Mega blogging Marathon!! I can't believe I actually baked for 26
days straight :D I don't even know how this month flew by, but I do know I've
gained a few pounds eating bakes from around the world. And another few pounds
from just drooling over all the gorgeous bakes from my fellow bakers!
Zopf or Züpfe is a buttery brioche
like bread popular in the Switzerland in all of its 26 cantons. Switzerland is
very diverse in its culture as well as cuisine. Each canton has its own
specialties but the Zopf remains popular throughout. The name Zopf is derived
from its shape, and literally means “braid” or “plait”. Traditionally eaten on
Sunday mornings, this loaf is next only to the popular Swiss cheese, chocolates
and watches. Its shaped differently in various parts of Switzerland but for
most part its braided.
History:
I found this interesting piece of
history here and felt compelled to quote. Read on.
"Its origins are fairly unclear and surrounded
by many legends, some gloomy, others cheerful. Apparently, in ancient times,
women used to accompany their deceased husbands into the tomb and the spirit
world in order for the married couple to be reunited in death. Thankfully that
dark tradition was abandoned and replaced by a new, less barbarian one. Instead
of being forced to perish with her man, the widow only had to cut off her hair
(usually a plait) and lay it in the grave, alongside the body of her late
spouse.
Still later, the practice of offering
one’s hair as sacrifice was abolished and a braided loaf was used in place of
the tresses. But as there is no real proof of that custom, it is more likely
that butterzopf saw the light of day in a less morbid way.
In 1256, the first bakers guild was
formed in Basel, and not long after, a few more were formed in various cantons
in the Helvetic territory. During the 15th century, this delicacy became very
popular, as it used to be given as gifts on special occasions such as Christmas
and New Year. It was even offered as a token of love or to seal a promise of
marriage. Since its existence has been corroborated and documented since 1430,
it is most probable that it is a Swiss invention. Nowadays, the Swiss continue
the tradition of bringing a “Zopf” to their hosts to mark special occasions
(public holidays and feast days).”
How’s that for some fabulous history huh? :D Now onto the bread. Its light, soft and buttery with a glossy
crust.
You will need:
Makes: 1 small loaf
Recipe adapted from here
1 ¾ cups All-pupose flour plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp Dried yeast
½ tsp Granulated sugar
½ cup Whole milk plus 2 tbsp
¾ tsp Salt
2 tbsp Unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk plus 1 tbsp of milk for brushing the top
Warm the milk. Add the sugar and yeast, let stand for 10 minutes
until frothy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour salt and butter. Add
the yeast mix and combine on low speed. Switch to a dough hook and knead until
the dough comes together into a ball and is silky and smooth. Transfer to a
lightly oiled bowl and cover. Allow to rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours.
Punch the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and
allow to double in size, about 30-45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg
wash, taking care to cover evenly.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden brown
and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Let cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!
Stay tuned for the Mega Round-up of all our bakes from the past month :)
Stay tuned for the Mega Round-up of all our bakes from the past month :)
BAKES FROM AROUND THE WORLD:
A for ANZAC BISCUITS - AUSTRALIA
B for BASBOUSA - EGYPT
C for CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS - FRANCE
D for DAMPER BREAD - AUSTRALIA
E for EMPANADAS - MEXICO
F for FLAN MEXICANO - MEXICO
G for GRISSINI BREADSTICKS - ITALY
J for JOULUTORTTU - FINLAND
K for KORVAPUUSTI - FINLAND
L for LEMON SPRITZ SANDWICH COOKIES - GERMANY
M for MACARONS - FRANCE
N for NANKHATAI - INDIA
O for ORANGE OGURA CAKE - MALAYSIA
P for PINCA - CROATIA
Q for QUICK BREAD - STRAWBERRY PECAN BREAD - USA
N for NANKHATAI - INDIA
O for ORANGE OGURA CAKE - MALAYSIA
P for PINCA - CROATIA
Q for QUICK BREAD - STRAWBERRY PECAN BREAD - USA
R for RIGÓ JANCSI - HUNGARY
S for SCONES - UK
T for TOTTENHAM CAKE - ENGLAND
U for UGNSPANNKAKA - SWEDEN
S for SCONES - UK
T for TOTTENHAM CAKE - ENGLAND
U for UGNSPANNKAKA - SWEDEN
V for VIENNESE FINGERS - AUSTRIA
W for WHOLE WHEAT HERB BREAD - ITALY
That is an awesome braid Namratha! Loved all your bakes for this whole month...and I have gained a few pounds drooling over them. Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteKudos girl!..awesome bread with beautiful braiding and a lovely texture.
ReplyDeleteyou have rocked with all your bakes and it has been such a pleasure to relish these bakes.
Great braiding and the shiny glaze is very inviting. :-)
ReplyDeleteSuch a gorgeous Zopf, and those braids are just prefect. Seriously your bread looks more beautiful than the store bought ones.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful looking braided bread!!Awesome marathon choices!!
ReplyDeleteThis was my first choice for the letter Z but ended up making something else. Your Zopf look stunning -- awesome job!!
ReplyDeleteOh wow this was my initial choice as well..had to give in for easier option..yours has turned out so good!..can't wait to try my hand. Enjoyed your run so much and needless to say my bookmark has increased!
ReplyDeleteOh my the braided bread looks so soft inside and hot this beautiful crust. Wonderful show stopper.
ReplyDeleteI am yet to try a braided bread. Should try it out soon.
ReplyDeleteThe braids have come out so perfect.. Lovely share..
ReplyDelete