Submitted by ! This looks absolutely delicious!
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Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 package (8 grams) of yeast (the particular type doesn't matter, I've done 2 different kinds and they've worked fine)
½ cup milk
½ cup water
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup shortening, butter, or margarine
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tbsp canola oil
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup of an optional additive, this can be nothing, but tends to go really well with raisins or other dried fruits, I chose dried cherries and raisins for this one.

Procedure:
Start by combining about half the flour and the packet of yeast in a large mixing bowl, stir it until fully blended. In a sauce pan, combine the milk, water, sugar, shortening, and salt, stir and heat until warm (about 130°F, touch the stirring spoon to your wrist, if it is comfortably warm, it's ready). Add the liquid mixture to the flour-yeast mixture and begin beating, this can be done by hand, but if you use an electric mixer on medium speed it should take about 3 minutes. Blend in the egg and another half cup of flour for about another minute, then add your almonds and optional additive. Keep adding the rest of your flour and beating until you make a soft dough. Once it's become soft and ultimately one giant ball of dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 5-10 minutes, or until it is smooth and satiny. Put the dough in a large bowl and cover with a moist dish cloth, letting it rest for 20 minutes (note that unlike most breads, this does not need to rise significantly yet). After about 20 minutes, take your dough out of the bowl and divide it into thirds. Roll each of these thirds into strands about 15 inches long, then braid them together (if you don't know how to braid, learn). Brush it lightly with canola oil, put it into a large bread pan, cover it and put it in a warm place. The microwave or oven (turned off, not cooking yet) work fine. Let it rest for 60 minutes, it will have doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake your bread for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. If you want the braided texture to be more defined and the crust a bit crispier, like how i made in the picture, leave it for 30 minutes. Let it cool on a plate or cooling rack for about 5 minutes before eating, goes great with your favorite jam, marmalade, or just butter.

Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Allergy warning – recipe contains nut & dairy products