Vanocka (Christmas Bread)

I grew up in the tightknit Central Texas Czech community.  As the daughter of a pastor for the Brethren, a Czech Protestant denomination, I had dozens of surrogate grandparents and remember our potlucks fondly, mostly for the incredible pastries that I hoarded at every single gathering.  The Czech community in Texas takes their heritage very seriously, passing traditions and recipes down through family/church connections that have ultimately found their way to me and others from my generation.  I am happy and proud to have collected hundreds of these precious pieces of my family’s history over time and even try my hand at a few of them every year.  I inevitably screw something up, but one of these days I swear that I will bake a kolache that rivals Totsy Doernhoefer’s. (And for Totsy's kolache recipe, click here.)

Vanocka (Christmas Bread)

• 1 cake yeast or dry yeast
• ¼ c warm water
• 2 c scalded milk
• 1/3 c butter
• ½ c sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 egg, beaten well
• 7 c sifted flour
• ¼ c chopped almonds
• ½ c mixed candied fruit
• ½ c white raisins
• 1 egg, blended with 1 T water

Method:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside.
2. Scald milk, then add butter, sugar and salt. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Add to yeast mixture.
3. Add beaten egg and yeast mixture to milk mixture. Mix in 1 ½ c flour. Beat well until it is smooth. Cover and let rise until light.
4. Add nuts, fruit, and raisins and enough flour to make a soft dough, about 5 ½ cups. Knead dough until elastic. Let rise about 2 hours.
5. Divide dough into 5 parts. Make braid of 3 parts. Brush with egg and water mixture.
6. Braid remaining two parts and put on top of first braid. Again brush entire braid with the egg and water mixture. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Let rise for another 45 minutes.
7. Bake in a 350 F oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown.