Austrian Vanocka

Description
Makes one very large loaf or three smaller ones



Ingredients

 * 2 pkgs dry yeast
 * 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
 * 3/4 cup warm milk
 * 1/2 cup sugar
 * 6 to 7 cups flour
 * 1 stick butter, melted
 * 3 beaten eggs
 * 3 tbsp grated orange rind (I use just the orange part, rubbed off on a grater, so it takes two medium oranges to give me enough)
 * 2 tsp almond extract
 * 1 tsp nutmeg
 * 1 tsp salt
 * 1 cup each, golden and dark raisins
 * 1 cup slivered almonds

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk and sugar and let stand until the surface becomes foamy and the kitchen smells of yeast (about 5 minutes). Stir in three cups of the flour, butter, eggs, orange peel, almond extract, nutmeg, and the salt. Beat until very smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 to 8 minutes while adding the raisins and almonds a little at a time. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (wash the bowl you started with) and turn it over once or twice to coat it with grease. Cover the bowl with a towel or wax paper and set it in a warm, quiet place until it has risen to double its size (about 1 hour).

Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured board and divide it into threes (if you are going to make one big loaf, make that a big piece, a bigger piece, and a biggest piece). Divide each piece into thirds and, with your hands, roll each into a rope about twenty inches long. Braid the threes.

For one loaf, put the biggest braid onto a lightly-greased baking sheet, the bigger braid on top (press lightly to make it stay), and the big braid on top of that.

For three loaves, arrange the three (equal) braids separately on the lightly greased baking sheet.

Let rise again for about an hour.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 yo 60 minutes. Check at 45 minutes by tapping on the loaf. If it is done, it will sound hollow. (If you make smaller loaves, check at 40 minutes, especially if your oven is fast.)

Optional: While arranging on the baking sheet brush with a glaze consisting of an egg lightly beaten with 2 tbsp sugar -- though the one time I used the glaze it didn't make much difference.