Hefekranz or Hefezopf (literally "yeast wreath" and "yeast braid") are sweet
breads from
Switzerland,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous area, Autonomous Provinces of Italy, province
, image_skyline = ...
.
The dough is made from
sugar,
flour,
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condimen ...
,
eggs
Humans and human ancestors have scavenged and eaten animal eggs for millions of years. Humans in Southeast Asia had domesticated chickens and harvested their eggs for food by 1,500 BCE. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especial ...
and
yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constit ...
(sometimes with
raisins
A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the dar ...
or
almonds).
Typically both Hefezopf and Hefekranz consist of three braided dough-pieces. While the Hefezopf ("Zopf" meaning braid) is a loaf consisting only of a braid, the Hefekranz' braid is bent into a wreath ("Kranz" meaning wreath).
Two similar kinds of bread called ''vetekrans'' and ''vetelängd'' (literally "wheat wreath" and "wheat length" respectively) are common in
Sweden. ''Vetelängd'' is shapewise very similar to the Hefezopf, whereas the ''Vetekrans two ends are joined, shaping the bread into an O-shape, prior to baking.
See also
*
Challah
Challah (, he, חַלָּה or ; plural: or ) is a special bread of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, usually braided and typically eaten on ceremonial occasions such as Shabbat and major Jewish holidays (other than Passover). Ritually acceptable ch ...
*
Zopf – unsweetened Swiss variant
*
Vánočka
''Vánočka'' is a plaited bread, baked in Czech Republic and Slovakia (in Slovak called ''vianočka'') traditionally at Christmas time. Such special festive Christmas bread made from white flour, either in the form of a wedge or of plaited shape ...
– Slavic variant
*
List of sweet breads
This is a list of sweet breads. Sweet bread, also referred to as pan dulce, buns or coffee bread, is a bread or cake that is typically sweet in flavor. Some sweet breads, such as Portuguese Pao Douce, may be prepared with potato flour, which im ...
External links
King Arthur Flour Recipe: Hefekranz
German breads
Swiss breads
Austrian breads
Sweet breads
Braided egg breads
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