Hoska is a spectacular braided bread from old Czechoslovakia. It's light and delicately sweet. Fruit and chopped almonds throughout the tender bread provide delightful texture contrast. It is not frosted, but is glazed and decorated before baking with whole almonds that toast to a beautiful brown.

3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup(1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup warm water (105*-115*F.)
2 pkgs active dry yeast
2 eggs
5 1/2 cups unsifted flour
1/4 cup chopped citron
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped almonds
Melted butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup whole blanched almonds

Scald milk; stir in sugar, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into large warm bowl. Sprinkle yeast; stir until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture, 2 eggs and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes.

Punch down. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead in citron, raisins and chopped almonds until well distributed. Divide into four equal pieces. Set two pieces aside. Divide one piece into 3 equal strips about 14 inches long. Place the 3 strips on a large greased baking sheet; form into a braid. Brush top of braid with melted butter. Divide 2/3 of the second piece into 3 equal strips about 12 inches long. Form into a second braid and place on top of first braid. Brush top with melted butter. With remaining dough from second piece make a third braid about 10 inches long and place on top of second braid.

Form second bread with reserved dough. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Beat 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water together until well blended. Brush braided loaves with egg mixture. Decorate with whole blanched almonds.

Bake in moderate oven (375* F.) about 40 minutes; loaves will be well browned.