Recently, a reader asked me if I have a recipe for vánočka because she'd like to make it for her grandmother. That's a lot of pressure! But I hope that this recipe brings grandmother many happy memories.
Ingredients:
1 cup scalded milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar (or less, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 large room-temperature eggs, beaten
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup golden or dark raisins
1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
lemon zest from 1 or 2 lemons - whatever you prefer
Topping:
1 large room-temperature egg, beaten
2 tablespoons blanched sliced almonds
Confectioners' sugar (optional)
Preparation:
Add butter, sugar and salt to scalded milk. Stir to combine and let cool to lukewarm.
Place yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and, with the paddle attachment, stir until dissolved. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 2 eggs and combine.
Add 3 cups flour and beat with the paddle until smooth. Add the raisins, almonds, citron, and remaining flour and mix, 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Dough will be sticky.
Place dough in greased bowl. Turn over and cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double, about 1 hour (I found it took longer)
Punch down dough and turn out onto lightly floured board. Divide dough into 3 large pieces and 5 smaller ones. Roll each piece into a rope, about 14 inches long. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, braid the 3 larger pieces loosely and pinch ends together.
Now this next part you can chose to braid this way, or do a simple 3-strand braid, or even just form it into a loaf:
Braid 3 of the smaller rolls, pinch ends together, and place on top of large braid. Twist the last 2 rolls together and place on top of second braid, tucking ends under large braid. Cover with a cloth or greased plastic wrap and let rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush vánočka with 1 beaten egg and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons almonds. Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 30-45 minutes or until instant-read temperature registers 190 degrees. Let cool completely before slicing. Dust with confectioners' sugar before cutting, if desired.
