Almond Kulich Recipes

PASKA EASTER BREAD RECIPE (KULICH)

Steps:

• In a large Mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups + 2 Tbsp warm milk, 6 eggs, 1 Tbsp yeast, 2 cups sugar, 2 sticks melted butter (just warm, not hot!), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla. Whisk in 4 cups flour. Your batter will be thick like sour cream. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place or a warm oven (about 100˚F) for 2 hours.
• Add 5 more cups of flour; one cup at a time or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands (it will still feel sticky but wont' stick to your fingers). I find it's easiest to fold flour in with a silicone spatula. Dough should be soft. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups raisins. Cover and let dough rise another 2 hours in a warm oven (100˚F).
• Divide dough evenly into the three paper baking molds; try not to mix it or stomp it down too much. Let dough rise uncovered in a warm 100˚F oven for an additional 2 hours or until the molds are almost full. Remove from the oven and preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Bake at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes in the middle of the oven until the top is golden brown. Let cool to room temp or just warm and then tear off the wrapper.
• Once the Breads are at room temperature and wrappers are off, get your frosting ready. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar with 3 Tbsp lemon juice. Add a little water if it's too thick or a little more powdered sugar if it's too runny. Pour the glaze over each cooled Easter bread. Traditionally, these are topped with colorful sprinkles before the glaze sets.

RUSSIAN KULICH

Steps:

• Stir together yeast, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and warm milk in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups flour and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Beat 4 yolks with remaining sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at TK speed until mixture is thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in brandy and salt.
• Stir yeast dough to deflate. Add yolk mixture and butter and stir until well blended. Beat 3 egg whites in a bowl with cleaned beaters until they hold soft peaks. Fold whites into batter, then stir in remaining 2 1/2 cups flour. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Stir dough to deflate, then stir in almonds and raisins.
• Butter 4 clean (10 1/2-ounce) coffee cans. Line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Dust insides with flour, knocking out excess. Divide dough evenly among cans. Let dough rise in cans, covered with a towel, until about 1/2 inch from rim, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk together remaining yolk and water, and lightly brush over tops of dough. Bake loaves in cans until tops are golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Turn loaves out onto a rack, turn right side up, and let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Sift powdered sugar into a bowl, then stir in lemon juice. Spread glaze over tops of loaves, letting it drip down the sides. Let loaves stand until icing is set, about 15 minutes.

ALMOND KULICH

Steps:

• Bring milk to boil and cool down. Dissolve yeast in a part of milk, add 1 tb sugar. Stir in flour in the rest of milk, add yeast and mix thoroughly. Cover with towel and put in a warm place to rise til doubled.
• Kulich dough must be "coddled" and "cherished", the temperature of the dough must not less than 29-30°C
• Beat up 5 yolks with the rest of sugar. Melt butter, chop finely a lemon and a half of almonds. Add yolks, melted butter, chopped almonds and lemon, raisins, salt to the risen dough.
• At the end stir in beaten to a white foam egg-whites. Knead the dough carefully upside down.
• Grease the form for Kulich with soft butter, sprinkle with flour and pour in the dough half. Leave in a room to rise. When the dough is up to the top of the pan, brush the top with yolk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake in the oven 180°C The duration of baking depends on the size of Kulich and can last 1-2 hours.

RUSSIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine yeast, water, 1/4 cup white sugar, and milk. Mix until the yeast and sugar have dissolved.
• Stir in 1 cup flour until well blended.
• Cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer , combine butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, and egg yolks.
• Add yeast-flour mixture, combining thoroughly.
• Add vanilla, cardamom, salt, and enough of the 3 to 3 1/2 cups flour to make a soft dough. Stir in raisins, almonds, and orange rind.
• In a small bowl, beat 2 reserved egg whites until stiff.
• Fold them into the dough. Knead by machine or hand until a smooth and elastic dough forms, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl, turning once to coat both sides.
• Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
• Coat a 2-pound coffee can or kulich pan with cooking spray.
• Punch down dough and knead a few times.
• Place it in the prepared pan, cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the can.
• Heat oven to 400 F. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 F and bake another 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester or long toothpick or thin skewer comes out clean.
• Remove kulich from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Unmold from the can and cool on a wire rack.
• Gather the ingredients.
• While kulich is baking, prepare the glaze in a small bowl by combining the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice , almond extract, and enough warm water to make a smooth, runny glaze.
• Pour over the top of the kulich allowing it to run down the sides of the cake.