Recipe: 5 Kulich and 2 Paska Recipes

Happy Holidays Inevin!

Betsy
recipelink.com

Forum: rec.food.baking
Date: 04/17/1998
Author: Blair Gallagher

My Grandmother baked legendary Easter Kulich. This recipe is the closest I can get to it...my Grandma was a "pinch of this, handful of that" type baker who used no recipe. I make the dough in my ABM and bake it in my conventional oven. This is a very light dough.

2 1/2 cup bread flour
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/2 cup raisins or glazed cherries

Warm milk, half and half and butter in microwave till butter melts. Put in ABM with remaining ingredients as your machine requires. If you have an "add-ins" cycle, add raisins/cherries then. I use the Sweet Bread setting on my machine for dough. After the dough cycle ends, remove from ABM & shape loaf as desired and allow to rise a second time. Bake at 375 f for 25-30 minutes. Bread browns quickly, so you might need to put a foil tent over it for the last 5 minutes.

Sometimes I bake this loaf in large coffee cans to get the traditional shape, but it also works well in a springform pan. Makes 2 small or 1 large loaves.

Forum: rec.food.cooking
Date: 01/16/2000
Author: Victor Sack

Here is a typical recipe for kulich based on the one in The Russian Cookbook by Nina Nikolaieff and Nancy Phelan.

Kulich

Kulich is a tall cylindrical loaf with a domed top and stands upright on its base. It can be baked successfully in a 2-pound dried milk or coffee tin with the top cut off smoothly. For a specially big kulich use an 8-pound tin; for very small loaves, the 1-pound size.

This quantity of dough will fill 4 2-pound tins

3 ounces fresh (compressed) yeast
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 pounds sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 pounds plain flour
12-15 egg yolks (depending on size)
2 vanilla beans or vanilla essence to taste
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
few drops lemon essence
1 pound sultanas
1/2 pound diced glac pineapple or cherries
1/2 pound candied orange peel
1/2 pound chopped almonds
1 pound butter
fine breadcrumbs for cake-tin

Preheat oven to Reg. 1/2-1: 250 F. Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Slightly warm the milk, put it into a bowl, add 1/2 pound of the sugar, the salt and yeast. Add 1 1/2 pounds of the flour, beat well with a wooden spoon and leave to rise. In the meantime blend the rest of the sugar and egg yolks together, add the lemon essence, vanilla and nutmeg. If using vanilla beans, scrape out the centre with a spoon or knife and mix in thoroughly with a little sugar.
Prepare the fruit and almonds. When the dough has doubled itself in size, melt the butter but do not overheat - just warm it. Add it to the dough, mix it in, then add the sugar and egg-yolk mixture. Mix again. Add half the remaining flour. Mix. Add the rest of the flour. The dough should now be quite firm, too firm to mix with spoon so work with your hand or even clenched fist, pushing and pummelling it for as long as you like - the longer the better. It should not stick to the hand at all when it is ready.
Add the fruit and nuts, working them in carefully so they do not break up. Cover with a clean cloth and stand in a warm place, out of draughts, until the dough doubles itself in size. (2-3 hours.)
Butter the 2-pound tins and sprinkle them with fine breadcrumbs. When the dough has risen, fill one-third of each tin, leaving room for rising. Stand for 30 minutes.
Bake in a slow oven for 1 1/2-2 hours, at most, until a long wooden cake tester comes out dry. The tin must stand on its base in the oven. Cover a soft pillow with grease-proof paper. Take the kulich from the oven and leave it in its tin for 10 minutes; then slide it out carefully on its side on the pillow. Roll it gently from side to side every few minutes to preserve its shape. If left too long on the side it will lose its roundness. Do not try to stand it up until it is completely cool.
To serve, cut off the top, take slices from the kulich, then put the top back to prevent dryness.

Forum: alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic
Date: 02/03/2000
Author: - Luminaria

…recipes for two of the most famous Russian Easter foods - Kulich and Pascha. "Kulich" is a kind of bread, and "Pascha" is a kind of butter-cheese dish. Unless you're from the area of Russia where my father was born, in which case they're just reversed. Ironic, I know, but there's no predicting a Russian.

*KULICH* (Easter Sweet Bread with Raisins and Almonds)

1/4 oz. package of active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. dark rum
small pinch crumbled Spanish Saffron threads
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

GLAZE

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. almond extract

Proof the yeast in a large bowl with 1 tsp. of the granulated sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water for 10 minutes, or until it's foamy. While the yeast is proofing, in a small saucepan scald the milk over moderate heat, stir in the rum and the saffron, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture with the remaining half cup of granulated and one cup of the flour. Blend the sponge well and let it rise in a warm place, covered with plastic wrap, for at least an hour. Stir in the butter, the whole eggs, the yolks, the salt, the raisins, the almonds and the 2 cups of the remaining flour, or enough flour to form a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, kneading in enough of the rest of the flour to keep it from sticking, for eight to ten minutes, or until it's smooth and elastic and has developed a sheen.

Put the dough into a buttered bowl, turn it to coat it all over with the butter, and let it rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for an hour and a half or until it's doubled in bulk.

While the dough is rising, butter the inside of a 2-pound coffee can and line the sides with a sheet of wax paper. Cut a circle of wax paper and place it in the bottom of the can. Cut the wax paper which extends beyond the can into strips and fold the strips over the outside of the can. Punch down the dough and knead it 3 or 4 times, and put it in the can. Let the dough rise, covered with a kitchen towel instead of the plastic wrap, in a warm place, for 45 minutes to an hour. Or until it has risen to the top of the can. Bake the KULICH in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow with a thunk when tapped. Turn the KULICH out *carefully* onto a rack, and let it cool - UPRIGHT, not on its side. The KULICH may be prepared a day in advance and kept tightly wrapped and chilled. Good Friday or Holy Saturday are the traditional days to make it, and it isn't eaten until immediately after the Sunrise Resurrection service when it, along with the PASCHA and other foods are the first eaten from the newly-blessed foods in the baskets folks bring to church specifically to *be* blessed.

MAKE THE GLAZE: Whisk together the confectioner's sugar (sifted) the lemon juice, the almond extract and 2 teaspoons of water (or enough to make a pourable glaze) in a bowl. Set the KULICH on a plate and drizzle the glaze over it, letting the glaze drip down the sides. Let the KULICH stand until the glaze has hardened and then transfer it to a serving plate.

Serve this with freshly-brewed coffee. It's best NOT to butter it...it's quite sweet enough as it is. Enjoy. And say "Thank you, Mom." She's the one who taught me how to make this - as well as how to cook the other stuff you've gotten here.

*PASCHA* (Russian Easter Cheese Mold)

2 large whole eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 lbs. packaged farmer cheese, (or small curd cottage cheese, ricotta, or similar cheese), drained between several layers of paper towels for half an hour (or left to hang in a well-washed muslin pillowcase overnight and drain into the sink), and forced through a sieve
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. freshly-grated orange zest
1/3 cup finely-chopped almonds
1/4 cup dried currants plus some additional for decoration finely-diced glaceed cherries for decoration angelica for decoration
KULICH for an accompaniment (see previous posting)

Beat the whole eggs and the yolk together with the sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add the cream, scalded, in a thin stream, beating constantly as you add it, and transfer the custard to a heavy saucepan. Cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it's thickened (175 degrees or so on a candy thermometer), BUT DO NOT LET IT BOIL! Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, and let it cool down stirring occasionally.

While the custard is cooling, in another bowl with the electric mixer cream the butter, add the cheese gradually, beating all the while, and beat the mixture at moderate speeds for five minutes. Beat in the custard, the vanilla, the orange zest, the almonds and 1/4 cup of the currants. Line a 7- to 8-cup new clay flowerpot with a double layer of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth, and add the cheese mixture, packing it tightly and smoothing the top level. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the top. Put the flowerpot into a small bowl, and weight the top of the cheese mixture with a four-pound weight that just fits inside the pot (you can get a small plate and put another coffee-can filled with water on top of the plate to make the weight). Chill the PASCHA for at least 12 hours or overnight. Again, this recipe, like the KULICH, is traditionally made on Good Friday afternoon, following the Vesper service, and not eaten until first thing after the Resurrection Liturgy at dawn on Easter Sunday morning.

Forum: alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox
Date: 04/17/1998
Author: Matanna

Kulich

One and a half cups scalded milk
1 envelope dry yeast (= 2 teaspoons)
4 egg yolks
1 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup grated lemon rind (I don't use that much)
pinch saffron (I soak this in brandy or rum for more uniform color)
2 (46 ounce) juice cans, washed (remove labels!)
5 1/2 to 6 cups flour
1/4 cup warm water
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup chopped blanched almonds (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup seedless golden raisins (more or less -- you decide)

Scald the milk. Let cool, remove the "skin." In a large bowl, combine milk and 4 cups flour. Soften the yeast in the 1/4 cup of water; then stir into the flour and milk mixture. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
(This gives you time to separate your eggs, melt your butter, etc.) In a small bowl, beat the yolks with sugar until light and thick. Add butter and blend well. Stir in nuts, lemon rind, salt, saffron, and raisins. Gradually stir in enough flour to make the dough firm enough to handle. Turn out onto a floured board and knead well (this is hard work!) until the dough is smooth and elastic, working in more flour as
needed.
(Doing this with my younger boys yesterday (one was assigned to add more flour when told, the other picked up bits of dough that escaped and put them back in the bowl), we discovered that it's "enough" flour when your hands are no longer goopy with dough.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (The recipe says 370 but mine burn if I use that high a temp.) Divide the dough in half and place in cans. (Some people grease the cans with white shortening (Crisco-type stuff or even spray them with Pam) and line
then with brown paper. The paper should extend above the can. Be sure to cut out a circle for the bottom of the can also.) The cans should be half full. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. KEEP THEM OUT OF ANY BREEZES! I had a batch one year that looked gorgeous, but was raw in the middle.

Place cans of dough in a preheated oven. Bake about one hour and fifteen minutes, until golden brown. Allow kulichi to stand for about five minutes. Take them out of the cans by tugging out the paper. Peel off the paper and wrap the kulichi each in their own clean towels to cool.
When cool, stand the kulichi up and cover them with lemon glaze (let it trickle down the sides).
Some people decorate the tops with "XB" in candied cherries. Others just use candy sprinkles. Our Ukrainian parishioners use a fresh rose, which is also pretty.
Lemon Glaze: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar, 2 teaspoons hot tap water, and one teaspoon lemon juice.
You can make these in a variety of sizes by varying the cans you use. One quart juice cans, frozen juice concentrate cans, 13 oz. coffee cans, etc. all work.
Remember that smaller kulichi will take less time to bake, and larger will of course take longer. If the tops of the paper start burning, cut them off or ignore it, depending on the danger of them bursting into flame.
Kulichi can be frozen in thick zip lock bags. To serve, cut off the top, then slice the cylinder. Serve the round pieces first, always putting the top back on like a cookie jar lid so the bottom slices don't dry out. Serve with Pascha cheese.

Enjoy!
Matushka Ann Lardas

Forum: rec.food.recipes
Date: 03/01/1998
Author: Fred Towner

Title: Kulich
Categories: Breads, Russian
Yield: 24 servings

1/3 c Raisins,golden
3 tb Rum
1/2 c Sugar
1 pk Active dry yeast(1/4 oz)
1/2 c Water,warm(105-115')
6 tb Butter,softened(3/4 stick)
3 Eggs
2 tb Vanilla
3 tb Milk,powdered
3/4 ts Salt
1/8 ts Saffron,ground (optional)
4 3/4 c Flour,all-purpose
1/4 c Almonds,slivered
1/4 c Orange peel,chopped,candied

SUGAR GLAZE-----------------------------
1 c Confectioners' sugar
Reserved soaking rum
2 ts Lemon juice
1 ts Water

Soak raisins in rum for at least 30 or overnight.
Combine 1/2 teaspoon sugar along with yeast and water in small
bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Beat together remaining sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, powdered
milk, salt and saffron, if using, and yeast mixture in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add 2 cups of the flour and 1 tablespoon of soaking rum, beating for 2 minutes at high speed.
Drain raisins and reserve rum for glaze. Stir raisins, almonds and orange peel into dough with wooden spoon. Stir in enough of remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover; let rise in warm spot for 1 1/2-2 hours, until doubled. Grease well two 1 lb. coffee cans. Line bottoms with rounds of waxed paper.
Turn dough out onto floured surface. Punch down; knead a few turns. Divide in half and place in prepared cans. (They should be about two-thirds full.) Let rise, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until it has risen to top of can.
Preheat oven to moderate (350'F). Brush tops of breads lightly with water.
Bake in lower third of preheated moderate over (350'F) for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and long skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Check after 25 minutes and tent with foil if browning too quickly.
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the bread from the cans,
supporting top of bread and twisting off can. Cool upright on wire rack to room temperature. Drizzle glaze over breads. Garnish with candied orange peel and slivered almonds, if you wish.
SUGAR GLAZE: Stir together confectioners' sugar, reserved soaking rum, lemon juice and water as need, in small bowl until good drizzling consistency.

Title: Paskha
Categories: Russian, Salads
Yield: 12 servings

2 lb Cottage cheese,dry-curd
1 c Sugar
4 ea Eggs
1 ts Vanilla
2 pk Farmer's cheese(7 1/5 oz)
1 c Raspberry jam,seedless
3/4 c Butter,unsalted,softened
2 ts Lemon rind,grated
6 dr Red food coloring (optional)
1/3 c Raisins,golden
1/4 c Orange peel,candied,chopped
1/4 c Almonds,ground
Candied cherries for garnish
Almonds,sliced for garnish

Line paskha mold or clean 7 1/2x5" plastic or unglazed flower pot with drainage hole with 3 double-thicknesses of cheesecloth. Place on wire rack set over cake pan.
Place 1/2 pound cottage cheese, the sugar and eggs in food
processor or blender. Whirl, scraping down side as necessary, until smooth. Scrape into medium-size saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes or until mixture almost somes to boiling or instant-read thermometer registers 150'F. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour into large bowl to cool.
Working in 2 batches, add remaining cottage cheese, farmer's
cheese, jam, butter, lemon rind and food coloring, if using, to CLEAN food processor or blender. Whirl, scraping down side. Whisk into bowl with cooked cheese mixture. Stir in raisins, orange peel and almonds. Pour into prepared mold. Fold excess cheesecloth over top; cover with plastic wrap. Place flat-bottomed plate or saucepan, slightly smaller than diameter of mold, on top to weight. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Weight top with two 23-ounce cans or heavy iron skillet. Drain for 2 days in refrigerator or until center is firm. Refrigerate up to 1 week. 5. Unmold and remove cheesecloth. Decorate mold with candied fruits and almonds. Slice into wedges and serve as cheesecake, or spread on Kulich.