Milk braid made from yeast dough

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 kg flour
• 60 g yeast, fresh
• 120 g sugar
• ½ liter buttermilk, lukewarm
• 150 g butter, soft
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp orange peel, grated
• 4 tbsp brandy if needed
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp milk, lukewarm

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

Sift flour into a bowl and make a well in the center. Crumble the yeast and add it to the well along with a little sugar. Pour in the buttermilk, sprinkle with a little flour, and stir the ingredients into the well until a paste forms. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes. Add the butter, remaining sugar, salt, orange zest, and, if desired, brandy. Knead into a smooth dough until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes. Then knead the dough again on a floured surface and divide it into three equal pieces. Pull or roll these pieces into equal-length strands, braid them, and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Mix the egg yolk with the milk and brush the braid with it. Let rise for another 10 minutes. Then bake in a preheated oven at approx. 180°C top/bottom heat (fan oven: 160°C) for approx. 30-35 minutes.