Russian Easter Bread Kulich
Make 3 8" round loaves.
Ingredients
For the bread
- 500ml/2 cups + 2 tbsp warm whole milk
- 6 eggs large, room temperature
- 9g/1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 400g/2 cups sugar
- 250g/0.5lbs butter melted (if using salted butter, omit the salt)
- ½ tsp salt
- 125ml½ cup sour cream full fat
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1kg 80g/9 cups bread flour divided
- 175g/1 cup chocolate chips or raisins
For the glaze
- 200g/7oz white chocolate melted
- 1 tbsp sprinkles
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large mixing bowl combine warm milk, eggs, yeast, sugar, warm melted butter, salt, sour cream and vanilla. Add 480g/4 cups flour to make a batter consistency of sour cream. Cover with a cling wrap and a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
- Add 600g/5 more cups of flour; one cup at a time or until the dough no longer sticks to your hands to make a very soft and elastic dough. Stir in chocolate chips or raisins, candied citrus peel or nuts. (Anything you like in your sweet bread). Cover and let dough rise another 2 hours in a warm place. The rising process will take longer if your house is not very warm.
- Divide dough evenly into three deep 8" baking pans, that have been well-oiled. Try not to handle the dough too much. Let dough rise uncovered in a warm place for additional 2 hours or until you see a significant rise.
- Bake at 350F/180C for 35-40 minutes or until golden. Remove from the pan and cook on a wire rack.
- Once the loaves are at room temperature, melt white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat and cover the tops of bread with it. Use sprinkles to decorate.
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