Vánočka: Czech Christmas Bread
Vánočka is a traditional Czech Christmas bread that’s made up of three beautiful braids. This recipe makes one delicious loaf that your family will love for Christmas breakfast. Serve it with a cup of hot cocoa and lots of butter!
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 338kcal
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour or hladka
- ¾ cup bread flour or polohruba
- 3 teaspoons fast-action yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½-2/3 cup water room temperature
For Decoration
- 1 large egg beaten
- ¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Stir together the milk and cream in a small saucepan, and heat the mixture to 115°F.
- Pour the two flours into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl. Stir in the salt and yeast with your finger, making sure the salt doesn't directly touch the yeast, as it can kill the yeast.
- Add the sugar, lemon zest, melted butter, egg yolks, and raisins, then mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until blended.
- Gradually trickle in the milk mixture, keeping the mixer on low speed, then do the same with the water until a soft, sticky dough forms. You might not need all the liquid, or you could need a little extra, depending on the brand of flour and humidity.
- Switch to a hook and knead on medium-low speed until the dough passes the windowpane test, about 4 minutes. Do the windowpane test by breaking off a lump and stretching it until it is translucent without tearing.
- Shape it into a ball, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and let it prove until it is almost doubled in size, about 1 ½-2 hours in a warm place.
Braiding & Proving the Vánočka
- Line an 11x17-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Turn out the vánočka dough onto a very large, lightly floured wooden cutting board. Divide it into two pieces, one about 60% of the dough, and the other 40%. Cut the larger piece into five equal pieces, and the smaller piece into four equal pieces. (A bench scraper is helpful for this.)
- Gently roll each piece into a rope, then divide the ropes into 3 groups. Put the 2 longest strands in one group, and the 3 shortest ones in another. The remaining 4 strands are the third group.
- Place the group of 4 strands side by side and join them together at the top. Stick them to the work surface by pressing down firmly with your thumb. Think of the strands of being numbered from 1 through 4, from left to right. Bring 4 over 3, then bring 2 over 1. Cross the new strand 2 over strand 3. Repeat this sequence until the whole loaf is braided.
- Place the braid on the cookie sheet and use the side of your hand to create a valley lengthwise down the center of the braid. Brush the valley with beaten egg.
- Lay the group of 3 strands side by side and braid. Pinch the ends to seal, then make a valley down the middle as before. Place the new braid on top of the previous one, making sure it's centered. Brush the valley with beaten egg.
- Roll the two remaining strands so they're just a couple inches longer than the loaf, then twist them together tightly. Place the twist on top of the loaf, tucking the ends of the twist under the other two braids.
- Cover the sheet pan with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside to prove for 1 hour in a warm place. It's ready to bake when the dough slowly springs back when gently prodded with a fingertip.
Baking the Bread
- About 10 minutes before the bread is done proving, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Gently brush the bread loaf with beaten egg. Stack the sheet pan with the bread on it on top of another sheet pan to help keep the bottom from burning.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for about 45-50 minutes on a double cookie sheet. The layer of air between the two sheets will insulate the bottom of the loaf, helping to avoid a burnt base. If the loaf is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil. Bake the bread until it has an internal temperature of 190°F.
- Let the vánočka cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour, then dust with icing sugar from a sieve to look like snow.
- Serve the vánočka sliced with lots of butter.
Notes
- Sticky dough? Add a little all-purpose flour, but make sure it is still tacky to the touch.
- Let the vánočka rise in a warm place to speed up the prove. Place it in a cold oven, then place a casserole dish filled with boiling water on the shelf beneath. This will produce humidity and warmth to encourage the yeasts' growth.
- Braid the strands tightly. A loose braid won't look as polished as a tight one.
- Insert a few wooden skewers into the braids if you're concerned that they might slip off each other as they rise and bake.
- The traditional way to check for doneness is by inserting a wooden skewer into a crease of the braid and poking it all the way to the bottom. The skewer should come out clean; if not, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 483IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
