Czech Veka White Bread

Do you like Czech bread? Try Veka, a white baguette-like bread found in Czech stores! Here's a simple yeast dough recipe that makes two loaves of soft bread with a crispy golden crust.

Course bread

Cuisine Czech

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Leavening: 1 15

Total Time 1 48

Servings loaves

Calories 1041kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour plus more if the dough is too sticky
1 ½ cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 and ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil sunflower or Canola

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Add 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt to the bowl. Pour in 1 ½ cups lukewarm water and 1 and ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil.
Knead into a smooth, elastic dough: First, roughly mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a fork. Transfer the dough to a work surface and finish kneading by hand. If the dough is too sticky, gradually add more flour until it becomes elastic.
Divide the dough into two equal pieces and shape each into a bun. Dust them with a bit of flour to prevent the surface from drying out. Cover the buns with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
Roll out each of the risen buns on a lightly floured work surface into an oval about 13 inches (33 cm) long.
Turn the rolled oval so the longer side is facing you and roll it up with your hands. Transfer both pieces of veka to a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Slightly press in the ends of the bread. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 420 °F, and place the rack in the center. Place a small pot of boiling water in the bottom of the oven and close the oven door to allow steam to build up inside.
Brush the risen Veka loaves on top with a mixture of whisked egg and water.
Place the brushed Vekas in the oven with the steam and quickly close the door. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for about 15-18 minutes until the surface is golden.

Notes

The basic recipe makes 2 loaves of Veka bread.
Allow the Veka to cool completely. Then cut it on a bias into ½ inch (1-1.5 cm) thick slices.
STORAGE: Veka bread tastes best the day you bake it. It remains soft and moist for up to three days after baking. If you don't use it all up, wrap it in a kitchen cloth and store it in a dark place, such as a bread bin.
Use the slices of veka to make Czech open-faced sandwiches (Chlebíčky) or top them with various spreads, such as garlic cheese spread or ham spread.

Nutrition