Real kulich – traditional Russian Easter pastry

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 150 ml milk, lukewarm
• 60 g yeast (1 1/2 cubes)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 330 g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 700 g flour
• 100 g sour cream
• 120 g margarine (e.g. Sanella)
• 2 packets of vanilla sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100 g raisins (alternatively sultanas)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

according to the recipe of my very religious aunt – guaranteed orthodox origin

For the dough starter, whisk 100 ml of lukewarm milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and crumbled yeast until well combined. Cover with a terry cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, separate the eggs. Melt the margarine and cool slightly. Whisk 200 g of sugar, 1 whole egg, and 2 egg yolks until fluffy. Add the sour cream, melted margarine, vanilla sugar, salt, and raisins. Add 50 ml of lukewarm milk and the dough starter. Add flour in portions—there’s some flexibility here, plus or minus 50-100 grams, as the dough needs to be medium-hard; it’s really a matter of feeling. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes with oiled hands and let it rise, covered, in a warm place. Another option: if you have a bread maker, you can set it to “dough” and knead the dough and let it rise. The dough doesn’t rise much because it contains a lot of margarine and eggs, but it should at least double its volume. I remember from my childhood that there wasn’t a specific kulich mold back then, so kulich were baked in various tins – I find this very practical because: a) the kulich in this case have the traditional shape of an Orthodox church dome, b) they come in different sizes and are free, c) the kulich bakes thoroughly in tins, and d) the medium size is also very suitable for giving as gifts or (according to Russian tradition) kulich swapping. The tins also need to be well oiled, and the oven needs to be preheated to 150 degrees Celsius (top and bottom heat). Then fill the tins halfway with dough, taking the dough with oiled hands. The kulich are baked on the second rack at about 200 degrees Celsius. Baking time is at least 30 minutes for very small tins (185 grams), at least 40 minutes for medium-sized tins (425 grams), and at least 50 minutes for 900-gram cans. You can check whether the kulich is fully baked with a wooden skewer: pierce it, and if the skewer is dry, the kulich is ready. Possible problem: If the kulich is already browned on top but not yet fully baked in the middle, reduce the heat to approximately 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and cover the pan with a piece of aluminum foil (shiny side down). Remove the pan from the oven, gently tap it with your fingers, and shake the kulich out onto a cotton towel. Roll it back and forth for 1-2 minutes – if you stand fresh kulich upright immediately from the pan, it can “settle.” Only then stand it upright and cover it with a cotton towel. Whisk two remaining egg whites (from the refrigerator) until frothy, slowly add the remaining 130 grams of sugar, and continue beating until the sugar is (almost) completely dissolved and the mixture becomes firm. Brush the tops of the still-warm kulich with the egg white mixture and sprinkle with colorful sugar pearls. Let them “mature” overnight. Traditionally, a slice of paskha (a Russian quark dish for Easter) is placed on top of the kulich and eaten as is.