Franzbrötchen
Franzbrötchen: Hamburg buttery cinnamon pastries, pressed into their famous shape
GermanNo Hamburg bakery opens without a tray of Franzbrötchen: flaky, buttery yeast pastry rolled with cinnamon sugar, cut into pieces and pressed down hard in the middle with a wooden spoon handle so the spirals splay out into a squashed butterfly. The sugar caramelises underneath into a sticky, crunchy base. They are breakfast with coffee on the way to work and a Sunday treat at the harbour. The common mistake is letting the butter go soft while laminating: it oozes out and you get bread, not layers. Chef's tip: chill the dough between every fold, and press the shape down firmly before the final rise or it will spring back in the oven.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
For layering and filling
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Knead the 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ oz dried yeast, 1 ¾ oz sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup cold milk, 1 egg and 1 ⅜ oz soft butter for 6 minutes into a smooth dough. Flatten into a rectangle, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
70 minStep 2: Beat the 7 oz cold butter between baking paper with a rolling pin into a 15 × 20 cm sheet; it should be cold but bendy.
5 minStep 3: Roll the dough to 20 × 40 cm, lay the butter on one half and fold the other half over, sealing the edges.
5 minStep 4: Roll out to 20 × 50 cm and fold in three like a letter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Repeat the roll and fold twice more, chilling each time.
100 minStep 5: Mix the 4 oz soft brown sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon. Roll the dough to 40 × 50 cm, brush with the 1 oz melted butter and scatter evenly with the cinnamon sugar.
8 minStep 6: Roll up tightly from the long side. Cut into 12 pieces about 4 cm wide, slightly wider at the base, like a trapezium.
5 minStep 7: Put them on lined trays with the wide side down. Press a wooden spoon handle firmly across the middle of each, parallel to the cut sides, until the spirals bulge out on both sides. Rise for 45 minutes until puffy.
50 minStep 8: Bake at 400°F (350°F fan) for 18–20 minutes until deep golden with dark caramel at the edges and the bases sound crisp when tapped. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes so the caramel sets.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does franzbrötchen take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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