Tasty Zopf bread from Ithala
Zopf literally translates to braid. This braided bread is a Swiss bread to be enjoyed at breakfast! It was the perfect treat for the conservation volunteers during an admin day at Ithala Game Reserve in South Africa.
Ingredients:
1 kg flour
1 ½ tablespoon of salt
2 packets of yeast
550 ml of lukewarm milk
150 g melted butter
1 egg yolk
Method:
Put all ingredients in one bowl (except the egg yolk) and mix together.
Knead the zopf dough for 5 minutes.
Leave the dough to prove in a covered bowl for 1 hour.
Once the dough has doubled in size, pull the dough in half in order to make the two breads.
From 1 half, make 2 long strands of dough.
Place these strands of dough on a lightly floured counter in the shape of a cross.
The vertical strand should be on top of the other strand.
Braid the strands together.
Conservation volunteer Annika Zimmermann with the zopf breadMix the egg yolk with a little bit of milk and paint the outside of the breads.
Let it rise for another 15 minutes.
Place in a preheated oven at 390ºF / 200ºC for 45-55 minutes.
To check if the bread is ready, take the bread out and knock it gently with your fist. If it sounds hollow, your bread is ready.
Enjoy with marmalade jam and a cup of tea!
Photographs by wildlife monitor Lisa Thomas
Conservation volunteers: Annika Zimmermann, Christine Damico and Linda de Haan