Braided Christmas Bread - Vánočka - A Czech Recipe from Gourmetpedia

Ingredients

• - 750 g white flour
• - 10 Tbsp. sugar
• - 113 g (4 oz.) butter, at room temperature
• - 1 Tbsp. yeast
• - 250 ml / 1 cup warm milk
• - 1 egg yolk
• - 1 pinch of salt
• - 1 pinch of nutmeg
• - 1 pinch of ground star anise
• - zest of 1 lemon
• - 3 Tbsp. raisins
• - 3 Tbsp. almonds, peeled and coarsely chopped + almonds for decoration
• - 1 egg for glazing
• - powdered sugar or icing sugar (optional)