Vegan German Braided Bread
Ingredients
Dough
- 100 g vegan butter
- 200 ml plant milk (e.g., oat drink)
- 500 g wheat flour (Type 550)
- 80 g sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1 pinch turmeric (optional)
- 1/2 cube fresh yeast (approx. 21 g)
- 60 g vegan vanilla yogurt
- flour for dusting
Topping
- 4 tbsp vegan cream
- 2 tbsp pearl sugar
Preparation
Melt vegan butter in a small pot over low heat, then remove from heat, add plant milk, stir, and let cool until lukewarm
Meanwhile, mix flour, sugar, and salt; add turmeric for color if desired. Crumble yeast into the lukewarm butter-milk mixture, let rest for 5 minutes, then stir and add to the flour mixture
Add vegan vanilla yogurt to the dough. Mix roughly with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for at least 8 minutes until smooth, or use a stand mixer for 5 minutes on high speed
Place dough in a clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four equal pieces of about 240-250 grams each. Roll each piece into a 45 cm long strand
Place strands side by side with space between them, connect the ends on one side by pressing and folding downward. Number strands from left to right as 1 to 4 for braiding
Braid strands by crossing strand 1 over strands 2 and 3 to the right, then the new left strand over the next two to the right, repeating until braid is complete; tuck ends under
Place braided loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy
Preheat oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan
Brush loaf with vegan cream
Sprinkle with pearl sugar
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown, covering with foil if top browns too quickly
Let cool on a wire rack
