Sourdough Zopf (Swiss Braided Butter Bread)
Method
- 1 Build the levain: whisk the starter into the water, then mix in the flour until no dry bits remain. Cover and leave at room temperature until it peaks: domed, very bubbly and just starting to level off. 12h24 gactive sourdough starter4.6 %90 gwater17.3 %120 gall-purpose flour23.1 %
- 2 About 30 minutes before the levain peaks, mix the flour, milk and sugar until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for the autolyse. 30m388 gbread flour74.6 %178 gmilk34.2 %5.0 gsugar1.0 %
- 3 Add the levain, the remaining milk and sugar, the salt and softened butter. Mix for about 3 minutes, until the butter is taken up.50 gmilk9.6 %10 gsugar1.9 %10 gsalt1.9 %60 gbutter11.5 %
- 4 Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and stretches into a thin windowpane. Check the dough temperature.Target: dough 26°C 79°FNote: aim for about 26°C at the start of bulk; warmer or cooler shifts the timing
- 5 Cover and bulk ferment until roughly doubled and airy, about 2½ hours at room temperature. Or give it a 1½-hour head start, then refrigerate overnight. room temp 2h 30m head start 1h 30m
- 6 Turn the dough out and divide it into 2 equal pieces, about 470g each. Roll each into a short log, cover and rest so the gluten relaxes. 10mNote: fridge-cold dough needs a longer rest before it rolls out without springing back
- 7 Roll each piece into a rope about 60cm long, thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends.
- 8 Lay the ropes across each other in a plus sign. Fold the two ends of the bottom rope over the top one so they swap sides, then do the same with the other rope. Repeat until the ropes run out, pinch the ends together and tuck them under. Set the braid on the lined baking sheet.
- 9 Brush the braid with beaten egg, then cover.—egg
- 10 Proof until puffy and a floured fingertip leaves a dent that springs back slowly: overnight in the fridge, at room temperature, or in a proofing oven.Target: proofing oven 105°F 40°CNote: if the dough bulked overnight in the fridge, proof at room temperature or in the proofing oven
- 11 Take the loaf out of the fridge or proofing oven and heat the oven.Target: oven 400°F 205°C
- 12 Optional: brush with a second coat of egg for a deeper gloss.
- 13 Bake until deep golden brown and the centre reaches target temperature. Tent with foil if the top browns too fast. 30–35mTarget: oven 400°F 205°C, internal 90°C 194°F
- 14 Cool on a rack before slicing. 30m
The Zopf formula with a levain in place of the instant yeast. The whole levain, starter included, comes out of the dough's flour and milk, so the loaf's totals match the yeasted version: 520g flour and 330g liquid. Everything else is the same: autolyse, second mix, braid, egg wash and bake.
Two ways to schedule it after the levain (12 hours, so build it the night before):
- Same day: mix, bulk about 2½ hours at room temperature, shape, then proof overnight in the fridge and bake in the morning. Or proof the same day at room temperature or in a proofing oven. - Two days: mix, give the bulk a 1½-hour head start, then refrigerate overnight. Shape cold in the morning and proof at room temperature or in a proofing oven. The fridge can only take one of the two overnights.
The levain is 120g all-purpose flour at 75% hydration, seeded with 20% starter (100% hydration, fed with all-purpose). About a quarter of the total flour is prefermented. Exact percentages are on the Formula tab; it counts all the milk as water.
The bake temperature and time weren't recorded for the yeasted loaf either, so treat 400°F for 30–35 minutes as a starting point, and tent with foil if the top darkens early.