Czech Christmas Bread (Vanocka)
A traditional Czech Christmas bread, vanocka, offers a rich, braided egg-twist bread experience, akin to other festive European loaves.
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 F.
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Combine butter, sugar, and salt with scalded milk, then stir and let cool to lukewarm.
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Dissolve yeast in warm water in a stand mixer, then add the lukewarm milk mixture and eggs; combine thoroughly.
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Beat in 3 cups of flour until smooth, then mix in raisins, almonds, citron, and remaining flour for 3-5 minutes until the sticky dough is smooth.
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Place dough in a greased bowl, turn once, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled.
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Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
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Divide dough into 3 large and 5 smaller pieces, then roll each piece into a 14-inch rope.
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On a parchment-lined baking sheet, loosely braid the 3 large pieces and pinch ends.
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Braid 3 smaller rolls, pinch ends, and place on the large braid.
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Twist the final 2 rolls, place on the second braid, and tuck ends under the large braid.
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Cover the loaf with a cloth or greased plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a warm spot.
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Brush the loaf with egg, sprinkle with almonds, and bake at 400 F for 15 minutes.
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Reduce oven temperature to 375 F and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 F.
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Cool completely before slicing; dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.