VANOCKA - VáNOèKA - CZECH CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Soften yeast in warm water.
• In a mixer bowl, beat together sugar, margarine, and salt.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• Beat in 1 cup of flour.
• Beat in milk, lemon peel, mace, and yeast mixture.
• Stir in as much remaining flour as you can with a spoon.
• Stir in raisins and nuts.
• Turn out onto floured surface.
• Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes total).
• Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface.
• Cover, let rise in warm place till double; divide in half.
• Divide one portion of the dough into fourths for the bottom braid.
• Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, divide the remaining dough into 5 portions for the other two layers of the dough.
• Cover those portions and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, form each of the first 4 portions into 16-inch long ropes.
• On a greased baking sheet, arrange the 4 ropes, 1 inch apart.
• Beginning in the middle of the ropes, braid together toward each end.
• To braid 4 ropes, overlap the center 2 ropes to form an X.
• Take the outside left rope and cross over the closest middle rope.
• Then, take the outside right rope and cross under the closest middle rope.
• Repeat braiding until you reach the end.
• Pinch ends together; tuck under.
• Turn baking sheet and braid on opposite end.
• Gently pull width of braid out slightly.
• Form remaining 5 portions into 16-inch long ropes.
• Braid 3 of the ropes together.
• Brush the 4-strand braid with water and center the second braid on top; gently pull width of top braid out.
• Twist the remaining two ropes of dough together.
• Brush the top braid with water; place the twist on top of the second braid.
• Cover the shaped dough and let rise till nearly double.
• While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush surface of the shaped dough with egg yolk.
• Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.