Easter bread made with egg yolks
Description
The baking is simple and quick. For the bright holiday of Easter, many of us bake Easter breads (kulichi). There are countless recipes. I bake two kinds of kulichi—one following the classic recipe, and another using this recipe made with egg yolks. The second version is for my son, who prefers their taste. Kulichi made with egg yolks turn out denser and more filling. And they do require a bit more effort. In addition to the egg white glaze, I also top the kulichi with sugar glaze and sprinkle them with nuts. Let me tell you how.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
In a small bowl, pour 150 ml of warm milk and dissolve the yeast in it. Add 100 grams of flour, mix well, and set aside in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
- 2
Step 2
Bring the remaining milk to a boil and use it to scald 100 grams of flour. Mix well.
- 3
Step 3
By this time, the yeast with the flour had risen into a foamy layer.
- 4
Step 4
Thoroughly mix the fermented dough with the foamy yeast and flour mixture. Cover the resulting mass with a towel and let it sit for about an hour. During this time, it will become porous and increase in volume.
- 5
Step 5
Mix the yolks with sugar and salt.
- 6
Step 6
Mix about half of the egg yolks with the starter.
- 7
Step 7
Add 250 grams of flour and knead well until smooth. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour.
- 8
Step 8
Add the remaining yolk mixture and flour, and knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands.
- 9
Step 9
Prepare the raisins and candied fruits. Sort the raisins and soak them in brandy. Cut the candied fruits into small pieces. Grate lemon zest. Melt the butter.
- 10
Step 10
Add butter, zest, candied fruit with raisins, vanilla, and cinnamon to the dough. Knead well and place the dough in a warm spot, letting it rise for about an hour.
- 11
Step 11
Line the molds with dough. Grease the sides with butter and lightly dust with flour. Fill each mold halfway with dough. In the center of each mold, I insert a wooden stick into the dough. This helps the dough rise evenly. Later, it can also be used to check if the kulich is done. When the dough has risen in the molds, place the kuliches in the oven to bake at 180°C (356°F) for 40–50 minutes. The stick, when pulled out of a fully baked kulich, should come out dry.
- 12
Step 12
To make icing for Easter bread, beat two chilled egg whites, one and a half cups of powdered sugar, and add the juice of half a lemon. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- 13
Step 13
Here are the beautiful Easter breads we've baked :) Glaze the breads while they're still warm. Decorate to your liking.