Name: Butter Christmas Bread with Rum-Soaked Raisins
Prep time: 2 h 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Yield: 1 vánočka
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour; 90 g caster sugar; 25 g yeast; 250 ml semi-skimmed milk; 100 g butter; 2 pcs eggs; 1 packet vanilla sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 pc lemon; 80 g raisins; 2 tablespoons rum; 1 pc egg; 40 g almonds

Step by step process

Dough

1
Take all the ingredients for the dough out at least 30 minutes in advance so they can come to room temperature and the yeasted dough will work better.
2
Pour rum over the raisins and let them soak for ten minutes. Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add a tablespoon of sugar from the measured amount, and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes until foam appears on the surface.
TIP:
Crumble the yeast into lukewarm milk or water, add a little sugar, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to activate. A ready yeast starter will become foamy, increase in volume, and smell yeasty. If nothing happens, the liquid was probably too hot or the yeast is inactive.
3
Sift the plain flour into a bowl, add the remaining sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt, then add the eggs, finely grated lemon zest, the risen yeast mixture, and the melted cooled butter.
4
Work into a smooth, elastic dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, then briefly knead in the drained raisins at the end.
TIP:
Knead the yeast dough until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Properly kneaded dough holds its shape, does not tear immediately when stretched, and slowly springs back after being pressed. Then you can add raisins, for example.

Proofing and Braiding

5
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 60 to 75 minutes, until it has visibly doubled in volume.
6
Divide the risen dough into nine equal pieces, roll each one into a strand, and braid a traditional Christmas loaf from four, three, and two strands.
7
Transfer the loaf to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, gently shape it with your hands, and let it rise again under a towel for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Baking

8
Brush the surface of the loaf with beaten egg, sprinkle generously with almonds, and if needed skewer it in several places so it holds its shape during baking.
9
Bake it first for 10 minutes at 190 °C, then reduce the temperature to 170 °C and continue baking for another 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
10
If the loaf is browning too quickly on top, loosely cover it with foil and check for doneness with a skewer inserted into the center.
TIP:
With large baked goods, pay more attention to color than to the time stated in the recipe. If the surface is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Check doneness with a skewer or thermometer: the center should be dry, with no raw dough.

Serving

11
Let the baked loaf cool completely on a wire rack so the crumb stays soft and does not compress when sliced.
12
Serve it for Christmas breakfast or with afternoon coffee, when its buttery flavor and the aroma of rum-soaked raisins stand out best.