Frank's Recipes! Houska (Czechoslovakian Xmas Bread)

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Houska (Czechoslovakian Xmas Bread)

8 cups unsifted flour
1/2 pound butter
2 cakes yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup sweet cream or canned milk
2 cups milk, scalded and cooled
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
2 whole eggs, plus
2 egg yolks
1 cup blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup seedless raisins
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon mace, OR
1 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large bowl, work butter and flour until blended. Put yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and sweet milk in a cup for a few minutes. Combine milk and remaining sugar and salt and stir well. Beat eggs and egg yolks until light and add to milk and sugar mixture and dissolved yeast. Add to flour mixture. Add almonds, raisins, (plumped in water and drained well) and lemon rind. Knead dough thoroughly. Cover and let rise for 2 hours. Punch down and shape into smooth round ball. Roll out and cut 9 strips of dough, each about 18 inches long. Braid four for the bottom, three to place on top of that and twist two together for the top. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet at least 20 Inches long. If desired; brush top with beaten egg yolk and decorate with chopped almonds. Let rise another hour. Cover with cloth, put in a warm place.

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes; then reduce heat to 250 degrees, for another 30 minutes. To decorate: dust Houska with confectioners sugar after baking. (I make frosting and decorate with candied fruit. I also add 3/4 to a cup of candied fruit with the raisins and use walnuts, instead of almonds.)