Czechoslovakia christmas bread

1 cake

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
3 eaches - cups all-purpose flour tsp salt cup vanilla sugar egg yolks, beaten oz fresh yeast cups warm milk egg whites, beaten
pinch Salt Tbsp chopped candied mixed peel Tbsp sultanas cup butter, melted oz flaked almonds
1 each To 2 - Tbsp flaked almonds (or 1 oz poppy seeds)

Directions

SERVINGS

SOURCE: FILE/BREAD1

TOPPING

Sift flour and salt into large bowl. In a smaller bowl, put ¼ of the sifted flour, 2 Tbsp of sugar, 2 egg yolks, yeast and ⅓ of the warm milk. Beat well until a smooth batter entirely free of lumps. Cover bowl with cloth; allow to stand until light and spongy. Meanwhile, soak peel and sultanas in remaining warm milk. Add butter, almonds and soaked fruit to sifted flour together with yeast mixture and enough warm milk to make a manageable dough. Knead well on a floured board until smooth and elastic. Put dough in large greased plastic bag covered with cloth. Allow to rise until double in size. Punch down dough on floured board. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Put 4 pieces back in plastic bag while you roll the other 4 into long ropes. Braid these, starting in the middle; damp the ends with water. Pinch together to prevent them separating. This section forms the base of the loaf. Place this on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg whites, beaten a little with a pinch of salt. Make another braid with 3 of the remaining pieces of dough. Place this firmly on top of the base. Brush with egg white mixture. Divide the last piece of dough in half; roll into 2 thin ropes. Twist these together. Press along top of last braid. Brush with egg white mixture. If first 2 braids look at all dry, give them another coat of egg white mixture and sprinkle loaf with poppy seeds or almonds. Cover with greased wrap. Allow to stand again until well risen. Bake @ 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on wire rack before slicing.

Submitted By SALLIE KREBS On 12-04-94

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