Tsar's kulich
Description
The recipe won't take much time. This kulich is called "imperial" for a good reason. It turns out a bit expensive, but its taste pays for everything. A properly baked imperial kulich will melt in your mouth. It should be baked a couple of days before Easter, allowing the kulich to stand and mature. Such kulich stays soft for a long time, as we haven't added egg whites to the dough. Otherwise, there's nothing complicated—the steps are almost the same as in other kulich recipes. One more tip: soak the raisins in cognac or brandy for at least a few hours; this will enhance the flavor of the kulich. Now you know. Serve cooled or slightly warm.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Slightly warm the cream, dissolve the yeast in it, and add 2.5 cups of flour. This will be our starter. Cover it with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise.
- 2
Step 2
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. For the dough, we only need the yolks and 1-2 whites for the glaze. You can use the remaining whites to make meringue.
- 3
Step 3
Rub the yolks with regular sugar, add vanilla sugar and very soft butter, beat until white.
- 4
Step 4
Soak the raisins in boiling water for 5–10 minutes (depending on how dry they are), then dry them with a towel and coat in flour.
- 5
Step 5
The sponge has risen; add to it the yolks beaten with butter and sugar.
- 6
Step 6
Thoroughly mix to ensure the oil mixture blends well and evenly with the starter.
- 7
Step 7
Add raisins, candied fruits, and crushed cardamom seeds. If your candied fruits are large, chop them into smaller pieces.
- 8
Step 8
Mix and add the flour with salt. Add the flour gradually. The quality of flour varies, so you might need a little more or a little less.
- 9
Step 9
Knead the dough very carefully. At first, it will be very sticky—do not rush to add flour. Knead for about 5 minutes, then add flour only if necessary. In this recipe, it's better to use slightly less flour than too much. Cover the dough and place it in a warm spot to rise. This will take about 1.5 hours.
- 10
Step 10
The dough rises so slowly because of the large amount of enrichment, so don't panic. Here our dough has risen.
- 11
Step 11
We leave it aside, cover it, and put it back in a warm place to rise. This time it will take less time—about an hour.
- 12
Step 12
Line the baking pan for the kulich with parchment paper. You can line only the bottom, and lightly grease the sides with oil and dust them with flour.
- 13
Step 13
When the dough has risen, divide it into portions. You will get 2 large Easter breads. Fill the mold with dough one-third full. Let the dough rise again (already in the mold).
- 14
Step 14
Place in a preheated oven at 160°C. After 15 minutes, increase the temperature to 190°C. Large Easter breads take approximately 1 hour to bake. You can place a small container of hot water on the bottom of the oven. The Easter bread is done when a wooden skewer inserted into it comes out dry.
- 15
Step 15
For the glaze, beat the egg white with powdered sugar and lemon juice. Apply the glaze to the cooled Easter breads, then decorate with colorful sprinkles.