VánoÄka - (a.k.a. Hoska)
By Monica on January 2nd, 2008
I must be glutton for punishment, because this Xmas, I set forth to make a Hoska, a traditional Czech Christmas bread notorious for being difficult and time consuming to prepare. Making matters worse, my recipe was an old family one, loosely interpreted into English from Czech. I had to make educated guesses as to what some of the steps were, like what “make sponge” meant. After making it myself, I understand why hoska was made only once per year and why it has this devious reputation - it took us all night and day. How did my grandmother do this every year?!
According to Wikipedia, the silly bread is so temperamental that there are customs and superstitions involved in making it like: “you must think of everyone dear to you while making it”, “avoid touching silver or metal to the Vanocka”, and my favorite “the creator of the Vanocka must not jump up and down while the dough rises”.
Well, we didn’t jump up and down, but we did have a great time making it. Everyone giggled when the bizarre batter started fermenting and farting, and a hearty chuckle was had by all when the dough rose so much it mushroomed out of the bowl and started taking over the kitchen.
Here is one of the loaves rising for the 10,000th time, after we finally figured out how to arrange the dough:
Hoskas in the oven!
Hoskas out of the oven! (You’d think they’d be done now wouldn’t you? But they aren’t! Silly hoskas.)
Finally, hoska totally done, sliced. Insert Earth Balance here.
The easiest part of this experiment was the veganization. Simply substitute veg-friendly replacements for the butter and eggs. As for the rest of it, well, having instructions in English will probably make your experiment easier than mine. Maybe!
VánoÄka
1 yeast cake (0.6 ounces)
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance
1 Ener-G Egg
1t salt
2 cups +2T warm non-dairy milk (I used rice), seperated
6 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1/2t ground ginger
1/2t ground mace
Zest of one orange, or lemon
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup candied mixed fruit (use dried fruit pieces if you can’t find candied)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2T powdered sugar (optional)
1.) Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2.) In a large bowl (preferably the bowl of your stand mixer), cream sugar and EB. Add the Ener-G egg and salt. Stir in 2 cups of milk, then the water/yeast mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups of sifted flour and beat until the batter is smooth.
3.) Cover with plastic wrap and let the batter do its’ thing for 1 hour. (Mine fermented, bubbled, made noises, and firmed up like a loose gelatin after an hour).
4.) Stir spices and zest into the batter. With your dough hook attachment, slowly add approximately 5 cups of flour to make a dough. Knead until soft and elastic, either by hand or with your mixer. Knead in raisins and candied fruit.
5.) Place in a very large, lightly greased bowl and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
6.) Divide dough into ten equal portions and roll each out into a long snake, about the length of a standard cookie sheet. Let these rise for 15 minutes.
7.) Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, one for each loaf. On a cookie sheet, start making a braid with 3 of the snakes: Start your braid in the center and loosely braid towards each end. Pinch the ends together.
8.) Take 2 more snakes, and loosely twist them. Place the twist on TOP of the braid.
9.) Repeat assembly for the 2nd loaf.
10.) Brush each loaf with the 2T non-dairy milk. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and sides. Let the loaves rise again for 1 hour.
11.) Bake loaves at 350° for 38-45 minutes, until lightly golden on top. (Baking time will depend on how thick you make your loaves.)
12.) Transfer loaves to a wire rack and cover with a light towel until completely cooled. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar if you like.
Debbie says:
Wow, I’m impressed. It looks gorgeous. But will you make it again next year?
January 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Monica says:
I might repeat this stunt next year if my helpers are willing. If we didn’t have so much fun making it, this would have been my first and last hoska. I don’t have the patience for all that dough rising!
January 2nd, 2008 at 10:19 pm
zu says:
I just got a recipe from my friend whose family makes a wonderful Vanocka every Christmas. But I got discouraged after reading about the rising dough and waiting around! Now the recipe is mocking me from my inbox…
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Liz² says:
what fun! and at least after all that hard work, it looks delicious and perfect and worth all the trouble.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:20 pm
urbanvegan says:
Looks lovely and so elegant.
I didn’t know you were Czech. I’m Polish, so we’re practically neighbors
My trip to the Czech Republic was one of the best vacas I ever had.
Happy New Year!
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:32 am
Chocolatecoveredvegan says:
Yum, that looks great… and it’s so cool that YOU would make a Czech bread because I just had Kolaches :o)
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:48 am
Monica says:
Oooo, there is a kolach post coming soon too!
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 am
Tori says:
yummy! That looks so good! I might have to try it some time. I am polish too urban vegan! Though I haven’t done much polish cooking. I really would like some pirogies. Mm.
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
VeggieGirl says:
great job veganizing and making that Hoska!! looks fabulous!!
Happy new year!!
January 4th, 2008 at 10:54 am
melody says:
You have more patience than me…
Looks beautiful!
January 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Chocolatecoveredvegan says:
Brrrr… if 20 is a heatwave, I can’t even imagine how cold you must be!!! You definitely need soup more than me… I wish I could send it to you ;o)
January 4th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Cakespy says:
Well, I certainly cannot pronounce it, but I would happily eat it! The warmth comes through even in the photos. Wonderful.
January 4th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Traci says:
Just wanted to say hi! I found your blog through CCV’s and I LOVE all the comfort food recipes!! I’m a baby veg, so all these yummy recipes are very welcome
January 5th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Fairly Odd Tofu Mom says:
Wow! I commend you! I can so identify… we make “authentic” pierogies (which I can’t even spell) from a recipe, translated by someone who knew very little english… every year I SWEAR I will re-write it and every year once the experience is over, I’m DONE for a while… it does make for wonderful memories (and food) though!!
January 6th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
sheree says:
It may have been and adventure in making this, but I think your final product was a super success! Awesome
January 6th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Chocolatecoveredvegan says:
Haha don’t worry– we have to deal with horrible weather too. In the summers in Texas, it gets up to 114!
January 6th, 2008 at 6:49 pm