Bread Machine Zopf (Swiss Egg Bread)

4 from 3 votes

Bread Machine Zopf (Swiss Egg Bread)

Soft, fluffy Swiss egg bread with milk, butter, and one whole egg. Lighter and less rich than challah, with a tender crumb that stays soft for days. Bake directly in the machine pan or use the dough cycle for the traditional braided shape.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 50

Total Time3

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bread Machine, bread machine egg bread, bread machine zopf, Bread Maker, egg bread, swiss egg bread, swiss zopf bread recipe, zopf bread recipe

Servings: slices (2 lb loaf)

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Bread Machine

Ingredients

Liquid Ingredients (Add First)

1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1 egg
3 Tbsp butter unsalted, room temperature, cut into pieces

Dry Ingredients( On Top of Liquid Layer)

4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp SAF Instant Yeast or 2 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add liquid ingredients to the bread pan in this order: milk, water, egg, butter.
Add the flour on top, covering the liquid completely.
Make a small well in the flour. Place the sugar, salt, and yeast in the well, with salt and yeast on opposite sides.
Select the Basic White cycle and medium crust setting. Press start.
Watch the first 2 to 3 minutes of kneading. The dough should form a smooth ball; it will be slightly stickier than plain white bread because of the egg and butter. Add 1 tablespoon of flour if too wet, or 1 tablespoon of milk if too dry.
Let the machine complete the cycle without opening the lid.
Remove the loaf onto a wire rack. Cool 30 to 45 minutes before slicing.

Notes

The quantities in the recipe above are for a 2 lb loaf. For a 1 1/2 pound loaf, you'll need:

Liquid Ingredients (Add First)

1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 large egg
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted, room temperature, cut into pieces

Dry Ingredients( On Top of Liquid Layer)

3 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons SAF yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast)

Yeast conversions:

SAF instant yeast or bread machine yeast: 2 1/4 tsp (interchangeable 1:1).
Active dry yeast: 2 3/4 tsp, dissolved in the warm water (not the milk) for 10 minutes before starting. Not compatible with the delay timer.

Don't use the delay timer: the egg and milk are perishable.

Don't substitute water for milk: the milk is what gives zopf its fluffiness and keeps it soft on the counter for days.

Storage: 5 to 6 days at room temperature in a bread bag. Do not refrigerate. For longer storage, slice and freeze; frozen slices toast straight from the freezer.

Traditional braid (oven-baked): Use the Dough cycle. When dough finishes, divide into 3 portions, roll each into a long rope (traditionally tapered, thicker at one end), braid, place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Rise 30 to 45 minutes covered. Brush with egg wash (1 yolk + 1 Tbsp milk), bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and the internal temperature reaches 190°F.

Butterzopf (richer): Increase butter to 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp). Reduce water by 2 Tbsp.

Whole wheat: Replace 1 cup of the bread flour with whole wheat. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp extra milk if dough is dry.

Raisin zopf (Rosinenzopf): Add 1/2 cup raisins at the mix-in beep, about 20 to 30 minutes into the cycle.

Nutrition