Czech Christmas Houska

1 . Stage

Make the sponge: Dissolve yeast in warm water.

2 . Stage

Cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl. Add beaten egg and salt. Stir in cooled milk, then yeast mixture. Sift in flour and beat until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3 . Stage

Make the dough: Stir orange zest, ginger, and mace into sponge. Add flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Knead in raisins and candied peel. Place dough into a well-oiled bowl and turn once to coat the surface. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

4 . Stage

Divide dough into 10 parts. Roll dough into ropes of desired length (make sure they are equal); let rise for 15 minutes.

5 . Stage

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously grease a baking sheet.

6 . Stage

Place 3 ropes dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Starting at the center and working toward each end, loosely braid ropes; pinch ends together to seal. Twist 2 more ropes together and place on the base of the braid. Repeat this process to form a second loaf with remaining dough.

7 . Stage

Whisk egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl. Brush egg wash over each loaf and sprinkle with almonds. Let rise for about 45 minutes.

8 . Stage

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer loaves to a wire rack. Cover with a tea towel to make a soft crust; let cool completely.

9 . Stage

Sprinkle cooled loaves with confectioners' sugar.