Bohemian Honey Walnut Christmas Bread Recipes

HONEY WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Crumble the yeast and dissolve it in one cup of the water. Make sure the water's got the right temperature, as the bread won't rise if the water's too cold and the yeast will be killed if too hot. Once completely dissolved, add the remaining water, honey, oil, salt and walnuts, and continue to mix. I usually use a stand mixer when making this bread, as the dough is pretty big and the recipe calls for a lot of kneading.
• Let the mixer go, and while mixing, add 4 cups of flour, one cup of whole wheat flour, the rye flour and rolled oats. Add more flour until the dough lets go off the bowl, but be careful not to add to much. The dough should be really sticky! Continue to mix on medium speed for about 10 minutes, cover the dough with a towel and let rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Punch the dough down, and let rest for an additional 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 420 degrees F and oil four bread pans. When the dough is done proofing, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead, knead knead! Add more flour if necessary. Cut the dough in four equal pieces and place in prepared pans. Cover with a towel and let rise for 30-60 minutes. Bake in oven for twenty minutes, and let cool completely before removing bread from pan.

BOHEMIAN HONEY WALNUT CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• For dough: Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 min. Mix in yolks and salt. Blend in butter, milk, then flour. Beat mixture with spoon until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. For filling: Combine 1st 4 ingredients in med. saucepan over med.-low heat. Stir until honey dissolves and heated through. Pour into large bowl. Using mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until meringue is stiff and shiny. Fold into honey-nut mixture. Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter 10 inch tube pan. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 min. Divide dough in half, roll 1 dough piece into 20" square. Spread half of filling over. Roll dough up jelly roll style, enclosing filling. Repeat remaining dough and filling. Place 1 roll seam side down in pan so ends meet. Place second roll on top first seam side down so ends meet. Pierce dough with fork. Bake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool completely in pan on rack.

HONEY AND WALNUT SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• place all the ingredients except for the topping, into a bowl and mix until combined.
• on a lightly floured board, knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.
• place dough into a greased bowl. cover and place into a warm position to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• tip dough onto a floured board, punch down and knead again for a couple of minutes. divide dough into 3 equal parts.
• roll each piece into a sausage shape 14 inches long.
• place each sausage onto a baking tray covered with baking paper. pinch one end of the 3 sausages together then plait into a braid. pinch the ends together. cover braid with a teatowel and rise again for 1 hour.
• heat oven to 180 Celsius.
• drizzle the braid with honey and sprinkle with the walnuts.
• cook for approximately 45 minutes till nicely browned and when it sounds hollow when tapped.
• ALTERNATIVELY. use a bread machine on a dough+rise setting or an electric mixer with a dough hook. I used the bread machine.