Vánočka (braided sweet Christmas bread)

Vánočka — a sweet braided Christmas bread enriched with butter and eggs; a festive Czech bake worth the patience, serving twelve.

Ingredients

• plain flour600 g
• yeast40 g
• milk250 ml
• butter120 g
• sugar120 g
• eggs2 pcs
• raisins100 g
• almonds50 g

Method

1. Make the sponge. Warm the milk to about 37°C — it should feel just comfortable on your wrist. Crumble the yeast into a bowl with a teaspoon of the sugar and a few tablespoons of the warm milk, stir, then mix in about 100 g of the flour. Cover and leave in a warm spot for 15–20 minutes until the sponge is frothy and visibly risen.
2. Mix and knead the dough. Melt the butter and leave it to cool slightly. Beat the eggs with the remaining sugar until pale, then add to the sponge along with the rest of the flour and the melted butter. Turn out and knead firmly for 10–12 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from your hands — it will be slightly enriched and soft but should not be sticky.
3. First rise. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
4. Fold in raisins and almonds. Punch the dough down and scatter the raisins and almonds over it. Knead gently for 2–3 minutes to distribute them evenly throughout — try to keep the raisins whole rather than tearing them.
5. Divide and braid. Divide the dough into nine strands of roughly equal weight — the traditional Vánočka is built in three tiers: a base of four strands, a middle layer of three, and a top plait of two. Braid each tier neatly, then stack and press the layers together gently so they bond. Tuck the ends firmly underneath.
6. Second rise. Transfer the shaped loaf to a lined baking tray, cover loosely, and leave to prove for a further 30 minutes until noticeably puffed and pillowy to a gentle touch.
7. Glaze and bake. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Beat a little egg or use leftover beaten egg and brush the loaf generously all over. Bake for 35–40 minutes until a deep golden brown — a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. If the top is colouring too fast, tent loosely with foil after 20 minutes.
8. Cool and serve. Lift the Vánočka onto a wire rack and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing — cutting too soon will compress the crumb. Serve at the table as a centrepiece, torn or sliced thickly.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Yeast temperature. Milk much hotter than 40°C will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise — if in doubt, err on the cooler side and allow a little longer for the sponge to activate.
• Fully baked enriched dough. Enriched breads with butter and eggs can look golden outside while still being doughy at the centre; always check with a skewer and ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 90°C before removing from the oven.