Freshly Baked Zopf with Jam

Warm the milk slightly (lukewarm, not hot). Dissolve the fresh yeast and 10g of sugar in the warm milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat flour, the remaining 40g of sugar, and salt. Add the softened butter and the yeast mixture. Knead the dough vigorously for about 10-15 minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Lightly flour your work surface. Punch down the dough and divide it into three equal portions. Roll each portion into a strand of about 40 cm (16 inches) long. Braid the three strands tightly to form the Zopf. Place the braided dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Cover the Zopf loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rise again in a warm place for another 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly beat the egg and brush the Zopf generously with the egg wash to give it a golden shine when baked.

Bake the Zopf in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until it is deeply golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Remove the Zopf from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Slice and serve warm with strawberry jam.