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Grandma’s Country-Style Nut Braid Recipe

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4.6 from 85 reviews

Grandma’s nut braid is a moist and flavorful German country-style yeast bread filled with a rich nut mixture of walnuts, hazelnuts, cream, and spices. The recipe features a simple yet rewarding dough made with dry yeast and a classic nut filling, twisted into a beautiful braid perfect for brunch or a cozy afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Yeast Dough

  • 525 g wheat flour type 405
  • 1 packet dry yeast (about 7 g)
  • 60 g sugar
  • 225 ml milk
  • 60 g soft butter
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Nut Filling

  • 200 g ground walnuts or hazelnuts
  • 100 g chopped hazelnuts
  • 150 ml cream
  • 150 g sugar
  • 2 tablespoons rum
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking cocoa
  • Optional: 1 tbsp hazelnut butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Yeast Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, dry yeast, and sugar. Gently warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts, ensuring the mixture is lukewarm to avoid killing the yeast.
  2. Knead the Dough: Add the milk and butter mixture, egg, and salt to the flour mixture. Knead vigorously, either about 10 minutes in a food processor or 15 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth, elastic, slightly shiny, and pulls away from the bowl sides. Perform the windowpane test to confirm proper gluten development.
  3. First Rise: Shape the dough into a ball, cover it, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, until noticeably doubled in size.
  4. Prepare the Nut Filling: In a bowl, combine ground walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, cinnamon, and cocoa. Heat the cream and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Optionally add hazelnut butter and briefly boil. Remove from heat, add rum, mix well, and pour over the nuts. Stir to combine and let cool until spreadable but not runny.
  5. Shape the Bread: Roll out the risen dough on a floured surface into a 45 x 30 cm rectangle. Evenly spread the nut filling over the dough.
  6. Form the Braid: Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Cut the log lengthwise in half and twist the two strands together with the cut sides facing upward. Pinch the ends to seal.
  7. Second Rise: Place the braid on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let it rise for 25–30 minutes.
  8. Bake: Preheat the oven to 170°C (top and bottom heat). Bake the braid on the middle rack for 35–45 minutes. If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil. It is done when golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped; internal temperature should reach 92–95°C.
  9. Cool: Let the bread cool completely before slicing to preserve texture and flavor.

Notes

  • Baking at too high temperature for too short a time causes underbaking; prefer lower temperature and longer baking.
  • The nut filling should be warm but not hot when spread to prevent dough from softening.
  • Five extra minutes in the oven rarely harm the bread.
  • Using a dough hook for kneading is helpful if you make yeast dough often.
  • A sturdy rolling pin aids in even rolling, making spreading the filling easier.
  • An oven thermometer is beneficial for monitoring accurate baking temperature, especially for braided breads.

Keywords: Country women's nut braid recipe, grandma's nut braid, German nut braid, yeast bread with nuts, braided nut bread

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/grandmas-country-style-nut-braid-recipe/