A Swiss specialty

[auntieannie]

I have a question for shrjeff once he's back from his travels...

in Switzerland, we have this Sunday treat called "tresse" or "zopf". I believe Scrubb likes it, too.

This is a bit like a brioche type bread, but at the same time it is not.

However, I have very recently heard Swiss people had tried Challa bread that they had found in a UK supermarket, and they said it was remarkably like tresse/zopf.

So, does our Jeff know tresse/zopf and can he compare it to challa?

edited to add an image of tresse: image of a tresse

[shrjeff]

Tress is 'braided.' So the Challah is braided and looks like the picture of zopf. The challah dough is eggy which is why it looks a bit yellow. The zopf looks too white so the loaf looks similar but the taste may be different.

The word 'challah' refers to the Biblical commandment to make a sacrifice to God. Thus in truly kosher bakeries or when religious people make Challah at home, a pinch of the dough is thrown into the oven fire (thinking of a wood burning oven).

[auntieannie]

oh, no! I wrote a reply and then moved my hand awkwardly and the lot disappeared. argh!

I thank you for such an interesting reply, jeff.

Tresse indeed means braided. the dough is rich in milk and butter, but contrary to brioche, it's not very eggy.

[Netsuke]

Jeff, tresse meaning braided, is that something to do with hair? Long hair used to be called tresses or locks, whereas today we just say long hair.

[auntieannie]

the french word tresse, tressé. is translated into the english braided. whethere dough or hair.

[Netsuke]

I loved Quarkpazõggel, it was so good, loved the texture. With spinach, bacon and cheese, mmm yum.

[Baz Faz]

Seeing the heading A Swiss Speciality I thought this was a thread devoted to Auntie Annie.

[ninchursanga]

Zopf and Challa are very similar with the main difference being that Challa dough contains eggs and in a Swiss Zopf the egg is only used to brush the surface. Also I think that Challa is baked with water whereas Zopf is made with milk - but I'd have to look up the exact differences.
In the U.S. Challa was my go-to substitute for Zopf.

My neighbourhood bakery in Istanbul sold something called "pandispanya" (Spanish Bread) which was similar to Challa/Zopf and most likely a remnant of the Sephardic communities food culture.

[auntieannie]

oh, very interesting about the pandispanya.