Weihnachtstriezel (Christmas Eve Braid)

From Germany

	GALLERY
After mixing ingredients and kneading the dough, shape into a ball

From "Heaven's Banquet: Vegetarian Cooking for Lifelong Health the Ayurveda Way"
by Miriam Kasin Hospodar/ Dutton

Editor's note: A special thank you to cookbook author Miriam Hopodar, who was kind enough to take these pictures in her home and e-mail them to me for use with her recipes. I hope you'll enjoy this wonderful bread.

Yield: 1 long loaf

A talented German chef named, would you believe, Klaus Chef, loaned me his baker father's personal handwritten recipe book. Unfortunately, Mr. Chef, Senior penned his notes for the most part in elegant, beautiful, and utterly unreadable Old German script. However, a precious few recipes, all gems, were written in a modern hand.

Here is one that is given to godchildren by their godparents in some parts of Germany.

RECIPES FROM HEAVEN'S BANQUET Bulgar with Vermicelli (Arishdaov Tzavari Yeghintz) Weihnachtstriezel (Christmas Eve Braid) Moors and Christians (Moros y Cristianos)   Click here to return to the Holiday special

• 3 1/2 tsp (1 1/2 packages) yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted ghee or butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp finely grated orange rind
• 1 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup blanched, slivered almonds
• 6 to 6 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1. Mix the yeast with the water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Mix again.

2. Beat in the sugar, buttermilk, melted ghee or butter, and salt.

3. Stir in the orange rind, raisins, and almonds. Beat and work in enough of the flour to form a soft dough.

4. Turn out on a floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

5. Place in a large bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise in a warm place until it tests done, about 1 1/2 hours.

6. Punch down the dough and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 3 parts. Roll each piece into a long, even, fat rope. Place on an oiled baking sheet. Pinch the ends together securely on one side. Gently braid the ropes and pinch the other ends together. Tuck both ends under for a smooth appearance.

7. Re-dampen the cloth, cover the loaf, and allow to rise in a warm place, not the oven, until proofed, 30-45 minutes.

8. Bake in a 350°F oven about 1 hour.