Easter is often recognised by those bright and beautiful Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, and little yellow chicks signifying the start of new beginnings, life, and springtime.
There are many delicacies, decorations, and traditions that are enjoyed all around the world to mark the celebration of Easter, with foods that vary from country to country, including an array of sweetbreads, pastries, and plenty of cakes, using ingredients that were, of course, traditionally forbidden during the period of Lent.
German Easter
German Easter traditions naturally include those sweet universal treats such as the traditional chocolate Easter egg, Easter baskets filled with sweets, and the Easter bunny, just as many other cultures. However, we also enjoy our own unique typical foods, that are thought to date back to ancient times, with some even rooting back to pagan celebrations.
Perhaps one of the most traditional of foods is our Hefezopf and Hefekranz. A typical sweetbread, that is mostly prepared a few days before Easter and served warm on Easter Sunday morning for breakfast to mark the beginning of the day’s celebrations.
What is Hefezopf and HefeKranz?
Hefezopf (Hefe means yeast, and Zopf means braided, Kranz means wreath) is a fluffy and soft braided bread that is a specialty in Germany but can now be found in different variations all over Europe.
Both sweetbreads are made from a rich dough which is then rolled and formed into strands. They are then joined together by the process of braiding. Hefekranz is basically the exact same method of ingredients and baking but simply placed into a wreath shape after it has been braided, which makes a secure nest that can then be filled with Easter treats in its center.
Hefezopf Recipe
One family Loaf – Serving 4-6
Ingredients:
- 750 g flour
- 125 g of sugar
- 1 cube of yeast
- 375 ml milk, lukewarm
- 100 g butter
- 1 pinch (s) of salt
- 2 egg (s)
Instructions:
- For the yeast dough, sieve the flour into a bowl.
- Dissolve the yeast in 3 – 4 tablespoons of lukewarm milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar and pour the dissolved yeast into a small recess in the flour.
- Mix the yeast lightly with a teaspoon and a little flour.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 15 minutes.
- Now add the remaining ingredients. Before doing this, however, cover the yeast that has already risen with flour, because the yeast must not come into direct contact with the other ingredients.
- Knead at the highest level with the mixer for approx. 5 minutes until a smooth dough has formed.
- Cover the dough again with a kitchen towel and let rise until it has roughly doubled, which takes about 45 minutes.
- Put the dough on the worktop and knead again briefly. Divide into three strands and make a braid. Brush with lukewarm milk, to give a nice finishing colour!
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ° C top/bottom heat for approx. 20 – 30 minutes.
Tip: Instead of 1 cube of yeast, we sometimes use 2 packets of dry yeast, then there is no need to mix them separately with flour.
Easter in Ibiza with Samos Deli
We hope you enjoy creating your very own German sweetbread at home this Easter. And, don’t forget if you simply cannot find the time to get inspired in the kitchen, then we have everything you need to celebrate Easter, including both our Hefezopf and Hefekranz in our local store.
Everything from Easter cakes, little decorated cookies, homemade and handcrafted easter baskets, Chocolate eggs, gifts, decorations, and much much more to fill your Easter table and create a delicious celebration this Season 2021.
