Vanoca Czech Christmas Bread Recipes

VANOCKA - VáNOèKA - CZECH CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Soften yeast in warm water.
• In a mixer bowl, beat together sugar, margarine, and salt.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• Beat in 1 cup of flour.
• Beat in milk, lemon peel, mace, and yeast mixture.
• Stir in as much remaining flour as you can with a spoon.
• Stir in raisins and nuts.
• Turn out onto floured surface.
• Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes total).
• Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface.
• Cover, let rise in warm place till double; divide in half.
• Divide one portion of the dough into fourths for the bottom braid.
• Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, divide the remaining dough into 5 portions for the other two layers of the dough.
• Cover those portions and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, form each of the first 4 portions into 16-inch long ropes.
• On a greased baking sheet, arrange the 4 ropes, 1 inch apart.
• Beginning in the middle of the ropes, braid together toward each end.
• To braid 4 ropes, overlap the center 2 ropes to form an X.
• Take the outside left rope and cross over the closest middle rope.
• Then, take the outside right rope and cross under the closest middle rope.
• Repeat braiding until you reach the end.
• Pinch ends together; tuck under.
• Turn baking sheet and braid on opposite end.
• Gently pull width of braid out slightly.
• Form remaining 5 portions into 16-inch long ropes.
• Braid 3 of the ropes together.
• Brush the 4-strand braid with water and center the second braid on top; gently pull width of top braid out.
• Twist the remaining two ropes of dough together.
• Brush the top braid with water; place the twist on top of the second braid.
• Cover the shaped dough and let rise till nearly double.
• While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush surface of the shaped dough with egg yolk.
• Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.

VANOCA CZECH CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Beat the eggs and mix together with the milk and sugar.
• Add in the melted butter and mix in the yeast.
• Weigh out and mix the dry ingredients together.
• Add to the bread machine and choose the "dough" setting.
• Once the dough is made, turn out onto a floured surface, and divide into 8 equal portions (16 if making two small loaves). Roll each portion into a "rope" about 18cm long.
• Take the first 4 of the ropes, and create a plait.
• Next take 3 ropes and make a plait.
• Finally divide the last rope in half and roll into two thinner ropes and twist together.
• Place the three plait on the four plait on a baking sheet and then the two rope twist on top, folding this under the other two.
• Cover completely with beaten egg, the sprinkle over the chopped almonds, and recover again with beaten egg.
• Place in a pre-heated oven at 190C / fan 170C / gas 6 for 20 mins until the bread begins to brown.
• Then turn the heat down to 160C / fan 140 / gas 3 until cooked. Test by tapping the base of the loaf which should sound hollow.
• Allow to cool, and before serving sprinkle with vanilla icing sugar.