Sweet overnight yeast dough

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 600 g wheat flour or spelt flour, fine
• 125 ml whole milk
• 125 ml water
• 120 g sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 1 cube of yeast, fresh or 2 sachets of dry yeast
• 1 egg(s), size L
• 100 g butter, room temperature
• 1 pinch of salt
• Flour for the work surface

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 7 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 8 hours 25 minutes

for cakes, pastries or braided bread

Sift about half the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt. Warm the milk and water to body temperature and dissolve the yeast in it. Pour the yeast milk into the dry ingredients and mix everything well using the dough hook of a stand mixer or a hand mixer on a low speed until you have a smooth pre-dough. Cover with a cloth and let it rise for 5 minutes. When bubbles form, the yeast is active and the dough can be prepared further. Now add one of the eggs (the other is for brushing) and the softened butter to the pre-dough. Stir in the flour a spoonful at a time, using the dough hook from now on. I always do all this the night before, because the dough is then covered with a clean, damp towel and placed in the refrigerator. Overnight, the dough will rise more slowly but also become finer-pored. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and knead briefly by hand on a floured work surface. If the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour in small increments. Continue shaping as desired. Preheat the oven to 175°C–185°C, depending on your needs. Cover the dough, then let it rise for another 30 minutes. When the oven is hot and the dough has risen by about 50–60%, bake for another 30 to 45 minutes. Tips: If you like, brush the dough with beaten egg and/or sprinkle it with almonds or granulated sugar. Don’t be surprised, the dough will rise again in the oven! So keep your distance! The loaves can be removed from the oven when they are fully baked, which you can tell by the beautiful golden-brown crust, among other things. For braided loaves, I recommend tapping the loaf to ensure the center is fully baked. I love to surprise my family tomorrow with fresh, sweet croissants or brioche-like rolls. But apple-cinnamon rolls or nut braids also work well with them, as long as you top the dough with plums and crumbles instead of just a sugar or fruit cake.