Easter bread made with water
Description
The baking is simple and quick. Of course, we're used to making Easter kulich with milk. But delicious enriched dough can also be made with water. For preparing a water-based kulich, you'll need one cup of warm water, dry yeast (I use a packet of French dry yeast—dry yeast dissolves faster), and approximately half a kilogram of flour. You can also use compressed yeast (a 25-gram pack), although I don't particularly like it because it takes longer to mix and dissolve. You can boldly add raisins or dried fruits to the water-based kulich as well. 1. Start by preparing the dough. Make a starter: dissolve sugar in warm water, add the yeast, and mix. Wait until the yeast starts fermenting and foam appears on the surface. The starter is ready. 2. Add the starter to the flour, then add eggs and salt. Knead the dough, cover it with a towel, and place it in a warm spot to rise. After one to one and a half hours (maybe even faster), the dough will have risen. 3. If you're not in a hurry and can knead the dough again, let it rise a second time. This will make the kulich more airy. Add vegetable oil, knead the dough again, and add more flour if it sticks to your hands. Let it rise once more. This time, you can divide the dough into two parts. 4. Place the dough into baking molds (grease the molds with vegetable oil beforehand). Preheat the oven to 250–270°C. Fill the molds only one-third full. While the oven is heating, within 20–30 minutes, the dough in the molds will proof and rise, possibly up to three-quarters of the mold's height. 5. Put the kulich into the oven. You can brush the tops with egg. Place a cast-iron pot with water on the lower rack of the oven (this prevents the kulich from burning). The kulich bakes quickly in a hot oven—10 to 15 minutes. As soon as you see a golden crust and smell the delicious aroma, remove the kulich from the oven. 6. You can simply dust the finished water-based kulich with powdered sugar, glaze it with whipped egg whites, or cover it with icing. Decorative sprinkles also look great on the finished kulich. Alternatively, you can make thematic dough decorations for the top, such as the letters "XB." Serve cooled or slightly warm, and have a happy Easter!