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Easter cakes with raisins
Instructions
First of all, we acquire everything necessary for the Easter dough. It is important that the ingredients are fresh and of excellent quality. Easter dough should be prepared with a sponge. Then the kulich will surely be fluffy. The milk we buy for the dough should be homemade. For the sponge, pour milk into a small saucepan. Heat the milk until it is warm. Crush the fresh pressed yeast. Pressed yeast is very easy to crumble into small pieces just by pressing on them with your fingers. If the yeast is fresh, when you press on it, it simply crumbles by itself.
Pour the crumbled yeast into the warm milk, and then thoroughly mix the milk with them until all the yeast completely dissolves in the milk. Add a couple of teaspoons of granulated sugar to the milk with the yeast and a little more than 1/2 cup of flour. Mix all the ingredients, and then cover the container with a towel. Place the dish with the sponge closer to the heat. This can be a radiator or a kitchen table near the stove. It will take about an hour for the sponge to be ready. The yeast will start to work and bubble in the warmth. When the sponge rises in the saucepan like a cap and then begins to collapse, you can start kneading the dough.
Place the saucepan with the sponge on the table. Remove the towel, pour the remaining sugar into the sponge. Also add the vanilla sugar here. Slightly melt the butter and margarine on the stove until soft, then add the cooled mixture to the dough.
Break the eggs, separating the yolks and whites into separate bowls. Beat the yolks with a mixer, pour them into the dough, and mix.
Beat the egg whites with a mixer, adding a pinch of salt. Pour the whipped whites into the dough after the yolks and mix.
Now it's time for the flour. We use wheat flour (of the highest grade). Sift the flour several times, and then add it in small portions.
Knead the dough by hand for a long time (at least half an hour) and thoroughly, adding unrefined sunflower oil as per the recipe. The dough turns out soft, fluffy, and not heavy with flour. When the dough easily comes off your hands and the walls of the bowl, it is considered kneaded. Cover the bowl with a thick terry towel and place it in a warm place. When the dough doubles in volume, punch it down.
At this stage, add the pre-washed and dried raisins to the dough. To ensure that the raisins distribute evenly in the dough, sprinkle them with flour before adding to the dough.
While mixing the dough, gradually add the raisins in small portions.
Again place the dough in a warm place. When it rises to the edges of the saucepan, gently punch it down. The dough is ready, and now you can fill the molds for the kulich.
We have tin molds. We line the sides and bottoms of our molds with oiled paper. We place the dough in the molds, so that they are filled with dough to 1/3 of the volume. We cover the molds with dough with napkins and put them in a warm place. In the warmth, the dough rises to the edges of the molds. We preheat the oven to +180 degrees C and place the molds with the risen Easter dough inside. Small Easter cakes bake in our oven for about 20-25 minutes. We watch the baking of the cakes through the oven window. Homemade Easter cakes with raisins are ready when they start to slightly pull away from the walls of the mold. If the cakes are not baked yet, but the top starts to brown intensely, we cover the top of the cake with foil. Then we take the ready cakes out of the oven, quickly and carefully remove them from the molds. We place the cakes on a rack to cool.
We carefully glaze the cooled Easter cakes with raisins. For the glaze, we beat the egg white with sugar using a mixer until it forms a strong foam.
Tips
- 1
Use sponge method for best finished fluffiness. Direct dough preparation produces dense kulich; properly sponge-method preparation (yeast-milk-flour starter rising 1 hour) produces the proper signature fluffy airy character authentic to traditional Russian-Orthodox Easter cake preparations. The sponge technique matters more than home bakers typically realize for finished kulich-quality and overall family-meal success consistently across batches reliably across various Easter occasions throughout the year for proper traditional Russian-Orthodox results consistently.
- 2
Sprinkle raisins with flour before adding for proper finished even distribution. Plain raisins clump together and sink; properly flour-sprinkled raisins produce the proper signature evenly-distributed character authentic to traditional Russian-Orthodox Easter cake preparations. The same flour-coating principle elevates many fruit-bread preparations including butter-enriched festive baking applications across various traditional international culinary occasions throughout the year reliably.
- 3
Knead by hand for at least 30 minutes for proper finished texture. Quick mechanical mixing produces dense bread; properly extended hand-kneading (30+ minutes adding sunflower oil) produces the proper signature stretchy elastic dough authentic to traditional Russian-Orthodox Easter cake preparations. The patient kneading principle pays back significantly in finished kulich-quality consistently across batches and various Easter celebration preparations throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various Easter occasions for proper home-baking results.
- 4
Pair the finished Easter kulichs with traditional accompaniments for proper presentation. Serve cooled with hot tea, alongside cottage cheese paskha, painted Easter eggs for substantial Easter celebration spreads, or as gift to family for elegant Russian-Orthodox presentations worth showcasing across various Easter occasions reliably. Pair with crusty homemade bread tea-time accompaniments for substantial Easter spreads throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various family-meal occasions throughout the year.
FAQ
Can I use dry yeast instead? +
Yes, dry yeast works as substitute producing equally delicious results with longer rise time. Each option produces distinct character: pressed yeast provides traditional authentic Russian-Orthodox character with reliable rise, dry yeast produces more convenient modern alternative. Use 7-8g dry yeast as 25g pressed yeast substitute. Activate dry yeast in warm milk for 10 minutes before adding to flour. Choose based on availability and preference for proper finished kulich variations consistently throughout the year reliably across various Easter occasions for proper personalized traditional results.
How long do these kulichs keep? +
Stored covered at room temperature, the kulichs keep for 5-7 days at peak quality. The flavors meld and improve over the first 24 hours as components marry beautifully. The egg-white icing protects the surface from drying. Wrap in clean cloth for best preservation. The kulichs freeze adequately for up to 2 months — thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Best consumed within 5 days for the brightest most appealing finished results across multiple Easter applications throughout the year reliably across various festive occasions.
Can I add other dried fruits? +
Yes, dried apricots, dried cranberries, candied fruits, dried figs, or chopped nuts all work beautifully as substitutes or additions. Each option produces distinct character: classic raisins provide traditional Russian-Orthodox Easter character, dried apricots add golden sweetness, dried cranberries add tart pops, candied fruits add festive color, dried figs add Mediterranean depth, nuts add elegant crunch. Sprinkle all dried fruits with flour before adding to dough for proper distribution. Mix and match additions for endless variations across various Russian-Orthodox Easter cake traditions throughout the year for proper personalized finished results consistently.
Why does my kulich crack on top? +
Three usual causes: oven temperature too high, dough rises too much in mold, or insufficient slashing of top. Address proper 180-degree oven temperature, fill mold only 1/3 full to prevent overflow, and optional cross-shaped scoring on top before baking for consistently smooth tops. The combination of proper temperature, balanced filling, and optional scoring produces dramatic appearance-quality reliably across various Russian-Orthodox Easter cake preparation sessions throughout the year for proper traditional results consistently.
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