Easter braid, simple

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 175 ml milk
• 500 g flour
• 1 cube of fresh yeast
• 100 g sugar
• 80 g butter
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 1 pack of lemon peel flavoring
• 1 egg(s)
• 1 egg white
• 80 g raisins
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp milk
• Almond(s), sliced
• Sugar granules

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

Heat the milk in a small saucepan to lukewarm. Put the flour in a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Crumble in the yeast, add 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and a little of the lukewarm milk. Mix gently with a fork and let the pre-dough rise at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Melt the butter or margarine in the remaining warm milk. Add the remaining ingredients, except the raisins, and the lukewarm milk-fat mixture to the yeast mixture and mix everything briefly with a hand mixer (dough hook) on the lowest speed, then mix on the highest speed for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough. Briefly knead in the raisins, if desired. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it has visibly increased in size. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with baking paper. Knead the dough thoroughly again on a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope (about 40 cm). Place the dough strands on the baking tray and braid them. Cover the braid and let it rise until it has visibly increased in size. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C top/bottom heat (160°C fan-assisted oven). Beat the egg yolk with milk and brush the braid with it. Sprinkle with almonds and granulated sugar. Place the baking tray in the lower third of the oven and bake for approx. 30 minutes. Pull the braid, using the baking paper, onto a wire rack and allow to cool. Tip: Prepare the night before: Make the yeast dough with cold ingredients but soft fat. Do not mix a starter dough; knead the dough for approx. 5 minutes, then knead in the raisins and shape the rest into a ball. Place the ball in the mixing bowl, cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator. In the morning, knead the dough and shape it into a plait as described in the recipe, let it rise and bake. Bake rolls: Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and shape into balls. After rising, brush with egg yolk and milk, sprinkle with almonds and granulated sugar, and bake at the same oven setting for about 15 minutes. Bake small braids: Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope (about 18 cm) and braid three strands of dough into a plait. After rising, brush with egg yolk and milk, sprinkle with almonds and granulated sugar, and bake at the same oven setting for about 15 minutes.