What to do with Cacao Nibs? Part 5 Hefezopf

Hefezopf with Cocoa Nibs ChocolateSpiel

Hefezopf is a traditional german pastry/bread. It’s translated as “braided sweet yeast bread”. Usually you knead raisins into the dough, but I substituted them with cacao nibs. 

It’s great for breakfast and as a snack in between.

What you need to make my Hefezopf:

Dough

  • 4 cups or 500g all purpose flour 

  • 1/2 cup or 100g sugar

  • 1/2 cup or 80g butter

  • 1 pack yeast

  • 1/3 cup or 80g nibs

  • zest of 1 lemon

  • 1 whole egg

  • 3/4 cup or 185ml lukewarm milk

Egg wash and topping

  • 1 tablespoon milk

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1/2 cup pearl sugar

How to make Hefezopf:

  1. Beat butter and sugar

  2. Add whole egg, lemon zest, nibs and mix 

  3. Add flour, yeast and lukewarm milk

  4. Knead with a food processor or by hand for 10 minutes

  5. Let proof for 2 hours at a warm place

  6. After proofing, form 3 equal strings and braid them

  7. Proof again for 30 minutes

  8. While waiting, make an egg wash: mix egg yolk with milk

  9. After proofing, brush egg wash on Hefezopf

  10. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F or 175C

Hefezopf is great with jam, honey, butter and coffee!


Angela Pfleiderer