Name: Braided Sweet Easter Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 0.75 oz fresh yeast (21 gram) (or 1 pack of active dry yeast (0.25 oz/7g)); 1/4 cup sugar (45 gram); 1 cup milk lukewarm (250 ml); 2+1/2 cup flour smooth (325 gram); 3 egg yolks; zest of half a lemon; 2 tablespoons brown rum ( 40%); 1 tsp vanilla sugar (or 1/2 tsp. ground vanilla, vanilla flavor); 1 pinch salt; 1/4 cup butter at room temperature (45 gram, or 4 tbsp. or 0.4 sticks of butter ); raisins (optional); flour for dusting and shaping; 1 egg (whisked, for brushing); Coarse Grain Sugar or flaked almonds for sprinkling on top (optional)

Here comes a really good recipe for a fluffy Austrian Braided Easter Bread made from yeast dough. (In Austria, it's called "Striezel".)

The Striezel is traditionally braided into a 4 or 6 strand braid, but of course it works with 3 strands as well.

Below in the post is the link to a video that shows how to braid a 6 strand striezel.

Alternatively, the Braided Easter Bread (Easter Striezel) can also be twisted into an Easter wreath and decorated with Easter eggs or decorative eggs.

Osterstriezel mit 6 Strängen flechten | Sweet Easter Bread

Braiding a 6-strand Striezel requires a little patience and concentration. During my first attempts, I was often too impatient and kept looking for some "hack" that would make it easier. But the "hack" in this case is: listen carefully, watch carefully, concentrate, practice.

So easy.

Braiding a 6-piece Striezel is explained really well in this video by "Painless Cooking". (They are braiding a challah there but it's the same braiding technique.)

I recommend watching it directly while braiding and pausing whenever you lose the thread ;D.

Click here to see all of my other traditional Viennese recipes. here.

If you liked the Braided Easter Bread Recipe, maybe you'll also like:

If you tried out the recipe, I would very much appreciate it, if you leave acomment and rating!

Easter Striezel recipe to print out

Braided Sweet Easter Bread

Angelika Kreitner-Beretits

Recipe for a wonderfully fluffy Sweet Easter Bread made from yeast dough and braided into a 3,4, or 6 strand braid.

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Rezept drucken Pin Recipe

Vorbereitungszeit 30 Min.

Zubereitungszeit 30 Min.

Resting Time 1 Std.

Arbeitszeit 2 Stdn.

Gericht Pastry

Land & Region Austrian

Portionen portions

Kalorien 340 kcal

Zutaten

For the yeast dough

0.75 oz fresh yeast (21 gram) or 1 pack of active dry yeast (0.25 oz/7g)
¼ cup sugar 45 gram
1 cup milk lukewarm 250 ml
2+½ cup flour smooth 325 gram
3 egg yolks
zest of half a lemon
2 tablespoons brown rum 40%
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or ½ tsp. ground vanilla, vanilla flavor
1 pinch salt
¼ cup butter at room temperature 45 gram, or 4 tbsp. or 0.4 sticks of butter
raisins optional

further

flour for dusting and shaping
1 egg whisked, for brushing
Coarse Grain Sugar or flaked almonds for sprinkling on top optional

Anleitungen

Separate the egg whites from the yolk.
Dissolve the yeast with a little sugar in the lukewarm milk.
Gradually mix in all of the other ingredients for the dough and stir well, using a wooden spoon, hand mixer or kitchen machine.
Cover with a kitchen cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
Knead the dough on a floured work surface. If necessary, incorporate a little more flour. Form the dough into 3-6 equal strands and braid them into a braid. (see blog post).
Cover with a kitchen cloth and leave to rest for another 30 minutes.
Brush the Striezel with beaten egg and optionally sprinkle with coarse grain sugar or flaked almonds.
Bake for 30 minutes at 170°C top and bottom heat.