Hencles, which means some Saxon sweet bread.

Hencles (Saxon Sweet Bread)

I made Hencles for the first time for a family meal after receiving the recipe from someone who cherishes Saxon traditions. It's a simple cake, but with a festive taste, bringing something familiar if you're used to sweet bread dough. It's good warm, but also the next day, and the sour cream makes all the difference.

Quick Info

Total time: approximately 2 and a half hours
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Baking time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 3 large trays (about 24 pieces, depending on how you cut)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: traditional Saxon dessert, suitable for holidays or family meals

Ingredients

For the dough (sweet bread type):

1 kg flour
4 eggs
500 ml milk
100 g butter
250 g sugar
2 packets of dry yeast
grated lemon peel
vanilla
salt

For the sour cream:

6 eggs
500 ml sour cream (approximately)
sugar, to taste
vanilla sugar

Optional (according to preferences or tradition):

raisins or other dried fruits, sprinkled over the dough before the cream
a layer of cooked semolina (1 cup of semolina to 2 cups of milk, cooked with sugar and flavors, then cooled)

Preparation method

1. Preparing the yeast
Mix the dry yeast with the flour in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes at room temperature. This step helps the yeast activate better, even if you’re not using sourdough.

2. Mix the liquid ingredients
Beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt until combined. Add the lukewarm milk, grated lemon peel, and vanilla. Mix well.

3. Form the dough
Pour the egg and milk mixture over the flour with yeast. Mix with a spoon or by hand until combined. Start kneading.

4. Incorporate the butter
The butter should be melted and left lukewarm, not hot. Add it gradually towards the end of kneading, when the dough starts to come together. Continue kneading, folding the dough with each motion. The dough becomes more elastic and shiny after incorporating all the butter.

5. Rising
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth. Let it sit in a warm place for about an hour, until the dough doubles in size. If it’s cooler in the kitchen, it may take a little longer.

6. Prepare the trays
Grease 3 baking trays well with butter or another fat. Do not use loaf pans, but low ones, like for cakes.

7. Roll out and place the dough
Divide the dough into three equal parts. Roll each part into a thin sheet to cover the bottom of the tray. Place each sheet in the tray.

8. (Optional) Add the semolina or fruits
If you want to add semolina, prepare it beforehand: boil 1 cup of semolina in 2 cups of milk with sugar and flavors, let it cool, and spread it over the dough. You can also sprinkle raisins or dried fruits before adding the cream if you like.

9. Sour cream
Beat the eggs with the sour cream, sugar (to taste), and vanilla sugar. It doesn’t need to become fluffy, just well combined. Pour the cream over each sheet of dough in the tray, covering the entire surface. You can level it with the back of a spoon.

10. Sprinkle sugar
Sprinkle a little sugar on top, to taste.

11. Baking
Place the trays in the preheated oven at 180°C. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the cream and the edges of the dough are lightly browned. Check after 30 minutes and adjust the time if it’s cooking faster or slower.

12. Cooling and cutting
Let it cool in the tray for at least 15-20 minutes, then cut into squares or rectangles.

Why I make the recipe often

Hencles is not difficult to make, yields a lot from one batch, and is great for any larger gathering. The dough is soft, similar to sweet bread, but not as rich, and the sour cream gives it a fresh, not overly sweet taste. It's good the next day and doesn't harden quickly.

Tips and variations

Tips

1. Use the richest sour cream for the cream, so it doesn’t become too liquid during baking.
2. If you make the semolina layer, let it cool completely before putting it on the dough.
3. Roll out the dough as evenly as possible, avoiding thick areas that remain raw.
4. If you want well-baked cream pieces, do not pour a very thick layer – you risk it not setting properly.

Substitutions

1. You can replace vanilla sugar with vanilla essence or regular sugar if you don't have it on hand.
2. Cow's milk can be substituted with plant milk, but the dough texture will not be identical.
3. If you don’t have butter, margarine works too, but the taste is better with butter.

Variations

1. Sprinkle raisins or dried fruits over the dough before adding the cream.
2. You can also add orange peel to the dough if you like the flavor.
3. Some add a layer of cooked and cooled semolina before the cream – if you want something denser.

Serving ideas

Cut into large or small pieces, depending on the occasion. It works both warm and cold. It’s also suitable for breakfast, with milk or coffee, or simply as dessert at the main meal.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry?
Yes, but adjust the amount: for 1 kg of flour, you would need about 50 g of fresh yeast. Dissolve it with a little lukewarm milk and sugar, then mix it with the flour.

2. How do I know when the cream is baked?
The cream should be set and have a golden-yellow color on top. If you gently shake the tray and the center no longer wobbles liquid, it’s done.

3. Can I make Hencles a day in advance?
Yes. It keeps well at room temperature, covered, and doesn’t lose its texture.

4. Can I make half the recipe?
You can easily halve all the ingredients and use only 1-2 trays.

5. What kind of sour cream should I use?
The ideal is fermented sour cream for cooking, with a minimum of 20% fat. Avoid cream for whipping.

 Ingredients: Dough for sweet bread: 1 kg of flour, 4 eggs, 500 ml of milk, 100 g of butter, 250 g of sugar, 2 packets of dry yeast, lemon zest, vanilla, salt. Cream: 6 eggs, 500 ml of sour cream (approximately), sugar to taste, vanilla sugar.

 Tags:  sweet bread christmas recipes easter recipes saxon sweet bread