Jockel's yeast braids

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 cube of yeast, fresh
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• 70 g sugar
• 230 ml milk, low-fat
• 50 g butter
• 1 egg(s)
• 500 g flour
• 1 egg white
• Granulated sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

First, crumble the yeast into a bowl, add the teaspoon of salt and the vanilla sugar, and let the yeast dissolve. Once dissolved, add the other dough ingredients and knead with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough. The dough should be relatively soft; it’s okay if it’s a little sticky, just not too wet. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place (near the radiator; microwave on the lowest setting for 10 minutes) until it has doubled in size. Knead the dough again for 1-2 minutes with a hand mixer and then shape it into 8-9 braids per baking sheet, which you then cover and let rise for another 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat). Finally, brush the braids with egg white and sprinkle with sugar, then place them in the bottom third of the oven for about 15 minutes. It’s important to create steam during baking, either by pouring some water onto the bottom of the oven or by squirting a little into the oven with a watering can. Tip: These braids are also great for making ahead; simply freeze them fresh after baking and heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes at 250 watts on the day you want them. This way, they stay super tender and won’t be as dry as if they were heated in the oven.