Kulich is a traditional Easter bread in the shape of a cylinder with a round top. It is prepared from yeast dough with various additives. The cake is usually glazed on top and decorated with colored millet and candied fruits.
It is necessary
-
- For two Easter cakes 10 cm high and 16 cm in diameter:
- - 1 kg of flour;
- - 2 glasses of milk;
- - 6 egg yolks;
- - 3 egg whites;
- - 350 g butter;
- - 2 glasses of sugar;
- - 11 g dry yeast or 40-50 g fresh yeast;
- - 100 g of raisins;
- - 100 g of candied fruits;
- - 25 g vanilla sugar;
- - 1 teaspoon of cardamom;
- - 1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg;
- - 1 pinch of saffron;
- - zest of 1 lemon;
- - 1 teaspoon of salt.
Instructions
Step 1
Make a dough. Heat the milk until warm and dilute the yeast in it. Add half a glass of sugar and 0.5 kg of sifted flour. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon and leave in a warm place. As soon as the dough increases in size and begins to settle, pour the filling into it.
Step 2
Whisk in the melted butter. Combine with the butter the remaining sugar, salt, egg yolks, spices - cardamom, ground nutmeg, grated lemon zest, saffron liquid, vanilla sugar. Prepare the saffron liquid in advance. Pour a pinch of saffron with 10 ml of boiling water and leave for 24 hours. Instead of vanilla sugar, you can add a pinch of vanillin.
Step 3
Stir the dough and fill. Whisk the egg whites and add to the dough. Stir again and add the rest of the flour.
Step 4
Knead the dough for as long as possible. You should not add additional flour to the dough. Well-kneaded dough is smooth, homogeneous, viscous, does not stick to your hands. Cover the dough with a lid or cling film. Leave in a warm place to rise for 3-4 hours. After that, knead the dough and let it rise a second time.
Step 5
Prepare baking dishes. Line the bottom with baking paper. Grease the form itself with vegetable oil and sprinkle with flour.
Step 6
Rinse and dry the raisins and candied fruits (preferably citrus fruits). It is better to take raisins of dark varieties. Dip dried fruits in flour, sift the excess through a sieve. Add them to the dough and mix well.
Step 7
Divide the dough into molds, filling them 1/3 full, and leave for another 1.5-2 hours for proofing. If you will not water the cakes with icing, then grease the top of the risen cakes with yolk or sprinkle with grated nuts.
Step 8
Preheat the oven to 160 ° C and place the dough tins in it. Do not open the oven door for the first 40 minutes. As soon as the Easter cakes have risen, increase the temperature to 170 ° C.
Step 9
Check the readiness of the Easter bread with a thin wooden stick after 50 minutes - stick it to the very bottom of the mold. If it becomes damp, bake for a few more minutes. If the top of the cake is already browned, cover it with foil.
Step 10
Let the cakes cool in the molds for about 20-30 minutes, then carefully place them on a wooden board, cover with a tea towel. Cover the ready-made cakes with icing or fondant as desired and decorate.
