Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Kulich) | Russian Easter Bread

Paska Easter Bread Recipe (Kulich). FULL RECIPE HERE :
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This gorgeous Russian Easter bread, or kulich, is a sweet, yeast-risen bread flavoured with raisins and cranberries. A cross between brioche and challah, this bread (called kulich) is a lightly sweetened, egg-glazed cylinder, often baked in special moulds. Paska (паска) bread or Kulich (кулич) bread is a Russian and Ukrainian festive bread baked at Easter, and is traditionally eaten only on Easter Sunday. The kulich would sit proudly in the center of the family Easter basket, surrounded by meats, cheeses, butter, and eggs. It's a central part of the Easter meal.
This sweet bread has 2 names, it’s called Paska in the southern Russia and Ukraine but it’s called Kulich in central Russia and the rest of Russia. This is not to be confused with another festive Easter dish called Paskha (Пасха), which is made with tvorog (farmer’s cheese). As easy as it may sound and look, rising is the most time consuming part of the making. Since this is a “sweet” bread the sugar and yolks weigh down the rising process, making the rising time go by very slow (even if it’s rising in a very warm place). But don’t fret it’s all worth the labor if you want extremely fluffy results.
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Ingredients
1 cup whole warm milk
4 medium eggs or 3 large, room temp
1 sachet 7 gr of active dry yeast
200 gr OR 1 cup sugar
120 gr butter melted
½ tsp salt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
750 gr OR 5 - 6 cups all-purpose flour ( might require less or more, depends on the flour that you use)
1 cup raisins (white or brown)
1/4 cup cranberries or blueberries ( optional what you prefer, can use both)
For the Icing:
250 gr or icing powder
2-3 tbsp of lemon juice
hot water ( optional)
Directions:
Step 1 : In a stand mixer add eggs, sugar, melted butter, sour cream and warm milk, vanilla extract and then add half of your flour. Mix everything together on low, until everything is combined. Then add yeast and mix everything again. Cover with damp towel and leave in a warm place to prove and raise for about 2-3 hours.
Step 2: After first raise, place the dough into the stand mixer and add the rest of the flour. Then add raisins and cranberries and mix everything again. The dough shouldn't be too sticky. Prove the dough for 2 more hours in a warm place.
Step 3 : Once its proven for the second time, divide your dough into two baking moulds and let is raise again to fill the moulds 3/4 of the way. Once it has risen, bake the bread for about 25-35 min at 180 C / 350 F. Once baked leave them to cool down completely.
Step 4 : Make your icing, by combining icing sugar and lemon juice and a little bit of hot water. Mix and you can control the consistency of your icing.
Step 5 : Add icing onto your easter bread and then add sprinkles and enjoy! The bread is so yummy and very delicious. Happy EASTER !!
Translation for Russian speaking people: Русский перевод ниже.
Кулич — самая традиционная Пасхальная выпечка. Я всегда пеку свои куличи по этому рецепту. Кулич получается воздушный, ароматный и долго не черствеет. Этот рецепт для меня проверенный. Тесто должно быть довольно густо, чтобы совершенно не приставало к столу. Когда тесто хорошо поднимется, то начать разваливать его и в то же время затопить печь. Никак не нужно спешить сажать куличи, пока они не поднимутся, что бывает иногда довольно долго, тогда как тесто густое трудно поднимается.Обещаю, что ничего вкуснее на свете не существует.
Ингредиенты
1 стакан теплого молока
4 средних яйца или 3 больших
1 пакетик 7 г активных сухих дрожжей
200 г сахара
120 грамм сливочного масла
½ чайной ложки соли
1/4 стакана сметаны
1 чайная ложка ванили
750 гр муки общего назначения (может потребоваться меньше или больше, зависит от используемой муки)
1 чашка изюма
1/4 стакана клюквы или черники
Глазурь для пирога
250 г сахарная пудра
2-3 столовые ложки лимонного сока
Горячая вода