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Quick German Braided Sweet Bread

Made with no yeast dough and filled with hazelnut almond marzipan chocolate filling, this beautiful looking German braided sweet bread aka. Nusszopf is fluffy, moist, tastes amazing and it will definitely make you feel like a pro in the kitchen.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: afternoon coffee, afternoon tea, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: European, German
Keyword: Easter, how to, no yeast sweet braided bread, Nusszopf recipe
Servings: 16 Servings
Author: Ester | esterkocht.com

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or handmixer
  • Bowls
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

Ingredients for no yeast dough

  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 600 g (1.3 lbs/ about 4 cups + 1 tablespoon) plain flour (all purpose flour)
  • 75 g (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
  • 2 medium eggs Germany, large US 
  • tablespoons baking powder
  • 300 g (10.6 oz) Greek yogurt

Ingredients for the nut filling

  • 200 g (7.1 oz) marzipan
  • 200 g (7.1 oz) ground nuts hazelnuts or almonds or a mixture of the two
  • 125 g (4.4 oz) hazelnut chocolate spread
  • 120 ml (4 fl.oz/ ½ cup) whipping cream
  • 1 medium egg (you just want the egg white. The egg yolk is for brushing the braid before baking)

Ingredients for the topping

  • 1 egg yolk from the filling
  • a dash of milk
  • powdered sugar and lemon juice/ milk or rum for icing

Instructions

  • Begin by making the nut filling: Simply warm the hazelnut chocolate spread in the microwave. While the chocolate spread is getting melted to make it easier to use, separate the egg (keep the egg yolk aside for later) & cut marzipan into smaller slices. In a bowl add the nuts, followed by marzipan. Then stir in whipping cream, egg white and nut chocolate spread. Combine well and let the filling infuse in the fridge while making the yogurt oil dough.
  • Make no yeast dough for Nusszopf: In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dough and knead for about 1 to maximum 2 minutes (you don’t want to over knead the dough!). Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for another minute. Slightly flour the dough as well as the working surface and roll it with a lightly floured rolling pin into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm (approximately 11.8 x 15.7 inches)).
  • Portion, fill, roll and braid the dough: Cut the rolled out dough cross - wise (short side) into five parts. Such that in the end you have five rectangles. Next take the nut filling out of the fridge and mix it very well. Then add the filling on every rolled out dough part. Using the back of the spoon spread the nut marzipan chocolate filling leaving a 1/2 cm (0.2 inches) (lengthwise, on each rectangle) without the filling. Brush the remaining 1/2 cm (0.2 inches) on each rolled out dough and then roll each rectangle lengthwise into a long roll. Always end with the side with a part that's free from the filling.
  • Preheat the oven to 170 °C (338 °F), with both top and bottom heat. Next bring the three middle long rolls next to each other and plait into a one long braid, starting from the middle and pinch the ends together on both sides. Transfer the braid to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then brush with the egg yolk (that you previously kept aside) mixed with a dash of milk. Twist the remaining two long rolls and place the twist directly in the middle of the braid that's brushed with an egg wash.
  • B½rush the twisted dough with an egg wash as well and bake for about 50 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and drizzle with drizzle the braid with icing. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Feel free to use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, instead of vanilla sugar. Just use 2 tablespoons more sugar if you’re using vanilla extract.
  • Dividing the rolled out dough into portions after rolling it out makes it difficult for the filling to come out when rolling into long rope-like strands. This also makes it easier to work with the dough, since it can be sticky, if the working surface is not well dusted with flour.
  • It's very important that you dust your hands every time before rolling the dough portions into long ropes (rolls).
  • Use the spatula to help you roll the rolled out dough parts into long rolls.
  • Don't let the rolled out dough sit for so long, because the longer it sits, the stickier it becomes.
  • Once the long ropes are rolled just make sure that you put them on a surface dusted with flour.