We are Russian and make Kulich every year to be blessed in our Easter basket on Pascha (this year on May 5, 2013).
Usually making it is an all day, arduous process that is done on Great and Holy Saturday, and there's a much panic around "will it come out"? I made this recipe last night (a week early) and not only could I make it with ease, it didn't take all day! Additionally, it was WONDERFUL! It tastes and feels just like the more complicated versions.
The only things that I thought were "off" were at step 6 and 8.
I needed way more than 2 1/2 cups of flour. It was still more batter than dough until I added another cup (estimated). It was still very sticky when I turned it out to knead, so the kneading in step 6 added another 1/2 cup... All in all, I used 4 cups (which is what my more complicated recipes also calls for).
Also, at step 8, I used a variety of can sizes and found that the narrower can produced a nice tall loaf with a "muffin top", which I like. But the shorter cans made the loaf look more authentic. I will say though, they were much smaller than I expected. Next time instead of 4 small loaves, I will do what I usually make, which are two loaves in 12-16 oz coffee tins.
This is most authentic recipe for a kulich I am russian and my grandma did not use so many spices just a vanilla and honey but your addition certainly does not hurt it! Thank you for posting!
I substituted rum for the vodka. A very fine recipe for kulich will be in our basket this year! A bit more flour was needed maybe 1 extra cup during the kneading. The dough should be tacky but not sticky if that makes sense. I made one small can kulich one 32 ounce vintage coffee can kulich and one la creuset soup pot kulich with this recipe. Oh I used non-stick baking spray and bread crumbs instead of parchment paper. All turned out gorgeous. Thankyou so much for this recipe.
I agree with Celiseev's comment - the flour requirements are very optimistic. Factor in one or two more cups. The recipe is really good although different from my family's in sequencing and timing: much less arduous! It also leads to a much lighter kulich than we used to have no bad thing in these days of too much chocolate. I would also double or triple the sultana/raisin amount perhaps soaking them like I did in cognac not vodka; and my family doesn't use an egg-white icing just lemon juice and icing sugar mix. Thanks for the recipe!
I've made this recipe for a few years now at Pascha, and it is delicious. The reason I gave the recipe only four stars was that it calls for much less flour than is actually needed; if you followed the directions and tried to turn it out onto a floured surface to knead, you'd have a gloppy mess. I wound up using perhaps five cups of flour total. You want enough that the dough holds its shape but is still a bit tacky.
I substitute dried cranberries for almonds due to an allergy, and I bake it in three 28 -oz. cans, so I adjust the baking time somewhat to an hour or 65 minutes. I did not have parchment this year and did not run out to get it due to quarantine; without it, the bread sticks in the cans. So I do not recommend skipping the parchment!
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