Austrian Brioche Germzopf Recipes

AUSTRIAN TAFELSPITZ WITH APPLE-HORSERADISH SAUCE (EMPEROR'S BOILED BEEF)

Steps:

• Rinse beef bones and place in a large pot, cover with water, add salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Add beef roast and bring back to a boil, making sure roast is covered by water. Skim frothy liquid several times if necessary. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour.
• Stir onions, carrots, celery, leek, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, and more salt to soup. Bring to a boil, skimming off froth on top as necessary.
• Cover and continue to simmer until beef can be easily pierced with a sharp knife point, about 2 hours.
• During the last half hour of cook time, prepare apple-horseradish sauce. Place apples in a small saucepan and add sugar and vinegar. Cook over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, about 5 minutes. Stir in horseradish and season with salt and pepper.
• Remove meat to a heated serving platter. Strain stock through a fine sieve and add nutmeg and salt to taste. Reserve stock. Toss vegetables and bones. Slice meat across the grain and pour a little stock over it; garnish with chives.

ZOPF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add the egg yolk, butter and 2 cups of bread flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into a 14 inch long cylinder. Braid the pieces together and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, beat together egg white and water. Brush risen loaf with egg wash and bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25, until golden.

HEDGEHOG BISCUITS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the sifted icing sugar and cocoa, and mix well.
• Stir in the beaten egg, and return the pan to the heat and stir until the mixture boils.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut, biscuit pieces and nuts. The biscuits are generally broken into pieces about the size of a hazelnut, but some larger pieces is fine, and the pieces certainly don't have to all be the same size!
• Spoon the mixture into a baking paper lined 18cm x 28cm (approximately 7" x 11") slice pan and press down firmly.
• Icing the Hedgehogs: Melt the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and copha together in a microwave-safe bowl or jug in a microwave oven on a Medium setting for approximately 2 minutes; stir well, pour - and spread evenly - over the hedgehog base.
• Chill to set.
• Once chilled, cut into 24 slices. Or larger or smaller slices if you wish!
• Notes: For extra flavour, add 1/4 cup of sultanas.

AUSTRIAN BRIOCHE (GERMZOPF)

Steps:

• Warm milk to medium heat, add sugar and yeast.
• Stir until yeast has dissolved.
• Add lemon cest, if using, and 1 egg to the warm milk/yeast/sugar mixture.
• Sift 500g flour into a bowl and pour in milk mixture, salt and melted butter.
• Knead to a soft and shiny dough using a mixer or kitchen machine/food processor. The longer you knead, the better/fluffier the result.
• Form a ball out of dough and let rest covered with a kitchen towel until its volume has doubled (up to 1 hour guesstimate).
• Separate dough into 3 equal portions, knead again and form long, inch thick rounds.
• Braid/shape the three dough rolls like you would a pig tail.
• Mix the second egg with a dash of salt and 1 tsp sugar.
• Brush surface of dough with this mixture (keep a bit of this mixture for later) and let rest again for 30 minutes.
• Then bake brioche at 180°C for about 30-45 minutes. In case the surface darkens too soon, cover with aluminium foil.
• Take brioche out about 5 minutes before it is done and brush with the rest of the egg glaze.
• Sprinkle with almonds and return brioche (uncovered) to oven.
• Bake until done.