Houska Recipe
Ingredients
| Active dry yeast | 1 | |
| Warm water | 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Warm milk | 1/3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled | ||
| Eggs | 2 | |
| Sugar | 1/3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Salt | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Lemon peel | 1 Teaspoon, grated | |
| Ground nutmeg | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted | ||
| Raisins | 2/3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water | ||
| 1 teaspoon poppy, sesame, or caraway seeds | ||
Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
Blend in milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, lemon peel, nutmeg, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour.
Beat very well for about 5 minutes, then stir in about 1 1/4 cups of the remaining flour and the raisins to form a stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth (about 5 minutes).
Turn dough over in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).
Punch dough down and divide into 4 equal portions.
Roll each to form a rope about 21 inches long.
Place ropes side by side diagonally across a greased baking sheet; pinch tops together and braid loosely as follows: pick up rope on right, bring it over next one, under the third, and over the fourth.
Repeat, always starting with rope on right, until braid is complete.
Tuck ends under and pinch to seal.
Cover lightly and let rise until almost doubled (about 1 hour).
Brush loaf with egg white mixture; sprinkle with seeds.
Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool on rack.
Blend in milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, lemon peel, nutmeg, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour.
Beat very well for about 5 minutes, then stir in about 1 1/4 cups of the remaining flour and the raisins to form a stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth (about 5 minutes).
Turn dough over in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).
Punch dough down and divide into 4 equal portions.
Roll each to form a rope about 21 inches long.
Place ropes side by side diagonally across a greased baking sheet; pinch tops together and braid loosely as follows: pick up rope on right, bring it over next one, under the third, and over the fourth.
Repeat, always starting with rope on right, until braid is complete.
Tuck ends under and pinch to seal.
Cover lightly and let rise until almost doubled (about 1 hour).
Brush loaf with egg white mixture; sprinkle with seeds.
Bake in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool on rack.
Chef
