This is for Arline Johnson, who was looking for a Bohemian Hoska recipe for
her son-in-law. (What a nice mother-in-law you are!) Found a few recipes on
the web. This one sounded the best, but haven't tried it, so can't vouch
for it. Copied from allrecipes.com website.
Czech Christmas Hoska
Submitted by: Carol Ponec-Nemec
Makes 2 large loaves
Prep Time: 1 Hour
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready in: 5 Hours 30 Minutes
1 (0.6 ounce) cake compressed fresh yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups scalded milk
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground mace
1/8 gram dried orange zest
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup candied mixed fruit peel
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Directions
1 Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2 In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add beaten egg and salt. Stir
in cooled milk, and then the yeast. Add l l/2 cups sifted flour; beat to
smooth batter. Cover and let rise until light, about one hour.
3 Stir spices and dried orange zest into the sponge. Add 4 l/2 cups of
flour to make a soft dough. Place on a lightly floured board, and knead
until smooth and elastic. Knead in raisins and candied peel. Put in a well
oiled bowl, and turn once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover. Set
aside to rise until double in bulk, about 2 hours.
4 Divide dough into ten parts, roll into desired lengths, and let rise
about l5 minutes. On a heavily greased baking sheet, make a braid of three
parts, beginning in the center and working braid loosely toward each end.
Pinch ends together. Twist the remaining two pieces together, and place on
the base of the braid. In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and milk;
brush the loaf with this mixture. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the loaf.
Repeat process for second loaf. Let rise about 45 minutes.
5 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Transfer bread to
a wire rack, and cool completely. Cover while cooling with a tea towel to
make a soft crust. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition at a glance
Servings Per Recipe: 30 amount
per serving
Calories 180
Protein 4g
Total Fat 5g
Sodium 132mg
Cholesterol 24mg
Carbohydrates 29g
Fiber 1g