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I recently saw this recipe and thought what a fun thing to make for Easter. Keeping family traditions alive by passing them down, particularly on holidays is such an important part of family life. Every once in a while it's nice to create a little excitement by changing things up a bit like this Kulich, a delicious sweet bread commonly eaten in Russia on Easter day. Similar in shape and flavor to Panettone, Kulich is packed with fragrant spices, dried fruits and citrus peel. Bake up a batch for breakfast on Easter Sunday or serve it with a slice of Pashka.
Kulich - Russian Easter Bread
Serves 6
Total time: 40 minutes plus 2 hours proving time
Ingredients
Kulich
2 cups white bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice (pumpkin pie spice mix)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp of butter
1/2 cup of sugar
Fast-action dried yeast, (2 packets. Make sure it is not out of date!)
1/2 cup of milk, tepid
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup of mixed dried fruits
2 tbsp of citrus peel, mixed
Icing
1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
1/2 lemon, juice only
To Decorate
8 glacé cherries, quartered
almonds, toasted
sprinkles
Preparation
Baking Pans/Tins
Begin by washing and drying 6 tin cans (14-16 ounces). Butter the tins well and line each with some buttered parchment paper inserted into each one. The parchment paper, once in the can, should be about 2 inches taller than the can. Make sure that the buttered side of the paper is toward the inside facing the dough. The butter will act as a glue so to speak to hold the lining in a cylindrical shape but you can always use a paper clip to hold the paper together, removing before baking.
Kulich
Sift the flour, salt, ground mixed spice and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and cut in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the sugar and yeast.
Add the beaten egg and tepid milk to the flour and mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit and mixed peel into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a buttered mixing bowl, then cover with a clean dish towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour to proof (rise).
Turn out the proofed dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back(punch down) the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the dish towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to proof.
Once through with the second proofing, place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll them into a long cylinder shape and put them into the buttered and paper lined cans. Cover the cans with a dish towel and set aside to rise for 25–30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450°F
Once the buns have risen in the tins to about 3/4 of the way up, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 25–35 minutes, or until pale golden-brown and sound hollow when turned over and tapped on.
Turn the Kulich out of the tins onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing.
Icing
To make the icing, add the lemon juice to the confectioners sugar, spoon by spoon, until you have a thick but runny icing that that will cover the Kulich buns and dribble a little down the sides. Spoon the icing over Kulich and scatter the glacé cherries, toasted almonds and sprinkles over the top.
Pashka
Pashka, a traditional Russian Easter dessert made from curd cheese, honey, dried fruit and almonds. Pashka has a texture similar to a custardy cheesecake and is traditionally served with slices of kulich Russian Easter bread.
Ingredients
Pashka
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup of whipping cream
1/2 cup of sugar
4 tbsp of runny honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp of brandy
3oz of curd cheese, cottage (farmers) or cream cheese, strained
4 tbsp of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of mixed dried fruits
2 oz of flaked almonds
Preparation
To begin, mix the eggs yolks and whipping cream together in a medium saucepan, then stir in the sugar and honey.
Heat the mixture over a low heat until the mixture just coats the back of a spoon – be careful that you do not curdle the eggs. Take your time, you are in no rush!
Add the vanilla extract and brandy and stir well. Place the custard in the refrigerator until it is cold.
Place the cheese into a blender with the butter and blend until smooth.
Stir the cheese mixture into the cold custard and mix gently until smooth.
Add the dried fruit and nuts, mix well and then spoon into a 1 quart buttered pudding bowl.
Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving, draining off any excess liquid before unmolding onto a serving platter. Once turned out, decorate the top with the glacé cherries and blanched almonds.
Serve with slices of Kulich.
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