Bohemian Honey Walnut Christmas Bread Recipes

AUNT JUDY'S CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Mix water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar together in a small bowl until yeast is raised and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cream butter and 1 cup sugar together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Pour in warm milk and add yeast mixture, eggs, and salt; mix together. Mix in flour until just incorporated; do not knead dough.
• Move dough to a large bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and let rise for another 45 minutes.
• While dough is rising, heat milk for pastry filling in a medium saucepan until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour gradually. Beat egg yolk in a separate bowl and add a little of the warm milk mixture to temper it; whisk yolk mixture into milk mixture. Mix in sugar and salt. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
• Let cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Cover the top with plastic wrap, touching the filling, to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make almond filling by mixing butter, sugar, and almond extract together in a bowl until blended. Set aside.
• Make nut crumb filling by crumbling flour, sugar, walnuts, and butter together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Divide the dough and fillings in 1/2 for 2 loaves. Set aside a small amount of nut filling to sprinkle on top of loaves.
• Roll out 1/2 of the dough onto 1 of the prepared pans into a rectangle that fills the pan. Spread cream filling lengthwise down the middle 1/3 of the dough, leaving about 1 inch free on each short end. Sprinkle almond filling on top of cream, followed by nut crumb filling.
• Make diagonal cuts into the dough on either side of the filling down each side, about 2 inches apart; don't cut too close to filling or it will leak out. Fold dough strips across the top of the filling, alternating each side, to make a braid. Tuck the 2 short ends into the braid to prevent leaking. Brush with reserved egg white and sprinkle with 1/2 of the reserved nut crumb filling. Repeat for second loaf.
• Bake loaves in the preheated oven until golden, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

HONEY AND WALNUT SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• place all the ingredients except for the topping, into a bowl and mix until combined.
• on a lightly floured board, knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.
• place dough into a greased bowl. cover and place into a warm position to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• tip dough onto a floured board, punch down and knead again for a couple of minutes. divide dough into 3 equal parts.
• roll each piece into a sausage shape 14 inches long.
• place each sausage onto a baking tray covered with baking paper. pinch one end of the 3 sausages together then plait into a braid. pinch the ends together. cover braid with a teatowel and rise again for 1 hour.
• heat oven to 180 Celsius.
• drizzle the braid with honey and sprinkle with the walnuts.
• cook for approximately 45 minutes till nicely browned and when it sounds hollow when tapped.
• ALTERNATIVELY. use a bread machine on a dough+rise setting or an electric mixer with a dough hook. I used the bread machine.

HONEY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Crumble the yeast and dissolve it in one cup of the water. Make sure the water's got the right temperature, as the bread won't rise if the water's too cold and the yeast will be killed if too hot. Once completely dissolved, add the remaining water, honey, oil, salt and walnuts, and continue to mix. I usually use a stand mixer when making this bread, as the dough is pretty big and the recipe calls for a lot of kneading.
• Let the mixer go, and while mixing, add 4 cups of flour, one cup of whole wheat flour, the rye flour and rolled oats. Add more flour until the dough lets go off the bowl, but be careful not to add to much. The dough should be really sticky! Continue to mix on medium speed for about 10 minutes, cover the dough with a towel and let rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Punch the dough down, and let rest for an additional 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 420 degrees F and oil four bread pans. When the dough is done proofing, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead, knead knead! Add more flour if necessary. Cut the dough in four equal pieces and place in prepared pans. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30-60 minutes. Bake in oven for twenty minutes, and let cool completely before removing bread from pan.

CZECH CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, milk, butter, eggs, lemon zest, salt, mace and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead in raisins. Divide dough into six equal portions. Shape each into a 20-in. rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet; braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining ropes. , Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Beat egg yolk and water; brush over loaves. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

SWISS CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat milk, water, and butter or margarine until warm.
• In large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, nutmeg, mace, and cloves; mix well. Stir in warm milk mixture and egg. Blend with an electric mixer at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in raisins, cherries, citron, nuts, and enough remaining flour to make a firm dough.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down. Shape into a round loaf, and place in a greased 2 quart casserole. Cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Brush top of loaf with melted butter, and sprinkle lightly with 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Bake at 375 degrees F ( 190 degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes, until deep golden brown. If too dark, cover loosely with foil last 5 to 10 minutes of baking. Cool.

BACON WALNUT BREAD WITH HONEY BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients. In another bowl, whisk cream, salad dressing, eggs and honey until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in walnuts and bacon bits. , Transfer to a greased and floured 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat honey butter ingredients. Serve with bread.

BOHEMIAN HONEY WALNUT CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• For dough: Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 min. Mix in yolks and salt. Blend in butter, milk, then flour. Beat mixture with spoon until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. For filling: Combine 1st 4 ingredients in med. saucepan over med.-low heat. Stir until honey dissolves and heated through. Pour into large bowl. Using mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until meringue is stiff and shiny. Fold into honey-nut mixture. Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter 10 inch tube pan. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 min. Divide dough in half, roll 1 dough piece into 20" square. Spread half of filling over. Roll dough up jelly roll style, enclosing filling. Repeat remaining dough and filling. Place 1 roll seam side down in pan so ends meet. Place second roll on top first seam side down so ends meet. Pierce dough with fork. Bake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool completely in pan on rack.