Easter kulich with fresh yeast
Description
Homemade baked goods for tea. Easter kulich made with fresh yeast turns out incredibly tender and airy. The dough is sticky and not overloaded with flour—this kind of bake tastes wonderful and stays soft for a long time. You can use any add-ins; I used dried apricots and raisins. Before adding them to the dough, be sure to dry the dried fruit thoroughly. Kulichi from this recipe are not very difficult to make, and the result is excellent. Always bake in a good, cheerful mood. Serve cooled or slightly warm.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients.
- 2
Step 2
Let’s make the sponge starter. In a deep, wide bowl, combine 200 ml warm milk, 2 tbsp sugar, and 3 tbsp flour. Add the yeast, mix the mixture well, and leave everything for 15 minutes. Then add the remaining milk and sugar to the sponge starter. Add the egg yolks, salt, and vanilla sugar.
- 3
Step 3
Mix the mixture thoroughly.
- 4
Step 4
Then gradually add all the flour.
- 5
Step 5
You do not need to add any more flour. The dough should turn out thick and sticky. Drizzle it with vegetable oil and transfer it to a deep bowl.
- 6
Step 6
I transfer the dough into the multicooker pot, close the lid, and leave it on Keep Warm at 35°C for 1 hour. If you don’t have such a helper, you can simply cover the bowl with a towel and leave it in a warm place away from drafts.
- 7
Step 7
The dough should rise until it has almost doubled in size.
- 8
Step 8
Knead the risen dough with your hands. Add sour cream, softened butter, and lemon and orange zest.
- 9
Step 9
While the dough rises, cover the dried fruit with boiling water and leave for 10–15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
- 10
Step 10
Add the dried fruit to the dough; cut the dried apricots into pieces.
- 11
Step 11
Thoroughly incorporate all ingredients into the dough by hand until smooth and uniform, then leave to rise for another 1 hour.
- 12
Step 12
Grease your hands with vegetable oil and divide the dough among the molds, filling each one-third full. Then cover with a towel and let rest for 30–40 minutes.
- 13
Step 13
Bake the kulich in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 40 minutes. It is difficult to give an exact time, because ovens vary and kulich bake differently depending on their size. Small ones are done sooner, large ones take longer; if the top is browning too much, cover with foil. Check doneness with a wooden skewer.
- 14
Step 14
Easter kulich made with fresh yeast is ready.
- 15
Step 15
Good luck with your baking! Happy Easter!