Mandelzopf (Yeast Bread with Almond-Marzipan Filling)

Another variation of the classical Hefezopf (Yeast Bread).  This time, I added an Almond-Marzipan filling for a change.  The dough recipe belongs to my dear sister-in-law, Maria.  Normally, milk is used to make this kind of yeast bread but I added warm water taken directly from the tap. Furthermore, I added flour type 550 instead of the normal plain flour type 405 and I found the texture much softer and better.  One may halve the recipe if one wishes.

Ingredients:
600 g flour (type 550) or plain flour (type 405)
80 g fine sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
40 g butter, to be gently melted
250 ml warm water (straight from the tap)
1 cube à 42 g fresh yeast, to be crumbled

Filling Ingredients:
100 g marzipan
100 g apricot jam
100 g chopped almonds
100 g raisins

Glaze Ingredients:
1 egg yolk, to be mixed with 1 tbsp fresh cream
100 g apricot jam, to be heated over low heat
100 g icing sugar
about 3 tbsp water
2 tbsp roasted almond slices

Method:
In a small bowl, mix marzipan and apricot jam until well blended.  Then, add chopped almonds and raisins.  Mix thoroughly.  If the mixture is too dry, add a little egg white in order that the mixture blends well.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, egg white, salt, melted butter, water and crumbled yeast.  Knead dough until it leaves the sides of bowl.  Cover bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside to let dough rise to double its volume.

Remove dough from bowl and knead on a floured worktop.  Roll out to a rectangular shape of 35 cm x 45 cm.  Add filling in the middle, about 8 cm in width.  By using a pizza cutter, cut as shown maintaining a width of 2 cm i.e. from top & bottom, towards filling and the dough strips.

Bring the top portion of dough over filling.  Carefully, bring the left strip over the filling and then, the right strip.  Repeat procedure until the end, then tuck the end part underneath as shown.

Leave to rise for about 30 minutes.  Then, brush with a mixture of egg yolk & milk all over.  Bake in a preheated fan oven at 160° C for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Once done, brush immediately with hot apricot jam and leave aside to cool down completely.

In a small bowl, mix icing sugar and water together.  Brush all over and sprinkle with the roasted almonds.

Bon Appetit!