The Swiss Braid, Sunday braid or Swiss butter bread, originally Bernese Braid, is a bread that closely resembles brioche bread. Bernese Braid is a true institution; it was originally produced only on St. Thomas Day and the first day of the year. In the first half of the 1600s, bakers obtained permission to bake it year-round, and the braid began to spread throughout Switzerland, becoming the traditional Sunday bread. It’s consumed on Sundays for breakfast, but also during various meals of the day as it goes well with both sweet and savory. I recently had it for breakfast accompanied by strawberry jam, but I assure you it’s incredibly good even with cold cuts.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Portions: 20
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: European
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz all-purpose flour
- 7 oz Manitoba flour
- 3.5 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.25 cups milk
- 0.35 oz fresh yeast
- 1 egg
Preparation
To prepare the Swiss braid, put both flours in a bowl. Make a well in the center and crumble the yeast into it. Melt the butter over low heat, then add the salt and milk to warm it up. Pour everything into the well and start kneading. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a spiral hook, working it for about 10 minutes: half the time at speed 1 and then at speed 2.
Once you have a smooth and homogeneous dough, cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rise until it doubles in volume (about 1.5 – 2 hours).
Take the dough again, knead it briefly, and let it rise for another 30 minutes. At this point, form a braid, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let it rise for another 15–20 minutes. Then brush the surface with the beaten egg.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30–35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
Tips and Storage
Store covered with a cloth away from drafts or in a bread bag for 2 days.
You can also slice it or leave it whole, freeze for 15 days, and thaw as needed at room temperature or in the microwave.
