Braided Easter bread with jam

Step 1/7

• 400 ml milk
• 20 g yeast

• whisk
• small saucepan

In a small saucepan, whisk together milk and yeast, then carefully warm on low heat, just until the mixture is lukewarm. Set aside for approx. 10 min.

Step 2/7

• 500 g flour
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla bean seeds
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp sweet dessert wine

• mixing bowl
• stand mixer or hand mixer with dough hooks

Add flour, eggs, vanilla bean seeds, sugar, salt, grapeseed oil, and dessert wine to a mixing bowl and stir in a stand mixer. Add milk-yeast-mixture and stir until a smooth dough is formed.

Step 3/7

• flour for work surface

• kitchen towel

Flour a clean work surface. Turn dough out onto surface and knead by hand until smooth and elastic. Transfer back to mixing bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let dough rise in a warm place for approx. 30 min.

Step 4/7

• 600 g apricots
• 200 g gelling sugar

• hand blender
• small saucepan
• knife

Halve apricots and remove pits. Add apricot halves and gelling sugar to a saucepan and simmer on medium-high heat until apricots break down and jam thickens and becomes creamy. For serving later, remove some of the apricot halves from the saucepan after approx. 5 min. of cooking and set aside. Cool down jam, then purée until fine and smooth.

Step 5/7

• baking sheet
• oven
• dough scraper
• parchment paper

Knead dough one more time. Divide into 6 equal parts, then divide each part again into 3 parts. Form long dough strips out of each part, approx. 20 cm/8 in. long. Braid 3 strips at a time into small buns and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let buns rise for approx. 30 min. more. Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.

Step 6/7

• 1 egg yolk

• pastry brush

Beat egg yolk, then coat braided yeast buns with it. Bake at 160°C/320°F until golden brown for approx. 25 – 30 min.