Easter bread on starter
Description
In my childhood, Easter bread was always made at home—first by my grandmother, then by my mother using the same recipe. I'm lazy, so for a couple of years I bought Easter bread from the store, but memories of that delicious, fragrant homemade bread wouldn't leave me in peace. And now for several years I've been baking my own Easter bread using my family's simple sourdough recipe. Serve warm or cooled. Perfect with tea.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
In a bowl, mix warm milk, melted butter, eggs, salt, and sugar. Add the starter and stir well. Gradually add flour and knead the dough. Then transfer the dough onto a table and knead for about 15–20 minutes. In general, keep kneading until the dough stops sticking to your hands.
- 2
Step 2
Transfer the dough to a bowl, add dried fruits, mix and let stand for 2-3 hours.
- 3
Step 3
Next, divide the dough into pieces and place them into molds, filling each mold a little less than half full. Grease the molds with butter. Let the dough rise for another 2-3 hours.
- 4
Step 4
Place the kulich loaves in a preheated oven at 200-220°C (390-430°F) for 10 minutes with steam. To create steam, place a metal can filled with ice on the bottom of the oven. Then, reduce the temperature to 180-200°C (350-390°F) and continue baking until done. Larger loaves take about 40 minutes, smaller ones 25-30 minutes, but baking time may vary depending on your oven. Once cooled, the kulich loaves are ready to serve.