Kulich
Kulich is a Russian yeast-raised cake made over the Easter period. It is traditionally baked in a very tall, straight-sided tin, however this recipe uses dariole moulds to make individual cakes. The rich dough, which resembles a thick batter, is very slow rising — don't be fooled into thinking it's not working.
Ingredients
60ml (¼ cup) warm milk
75g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
9g (2½ teaspoons) dried yeast
300g (2 cups) plain flour
65g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rum or brandy
½ tsp natural vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp salt
3 egg whites
75g (½ cup) currants
60g (⅓ cup) sultanas
40g (¼ cup) mixed peel
Sugar flowers, to decorate
Icing
90g (¾ cup) icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp lemon juice
Few drops of almond extract
Method
Step 1
Combine the warm milk and a teaspoon of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle over the yeast. Mix in 35g (¼ cup) of the flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen.
Step 2
Use the paddle attachment to beat in the remaining sugar, the butter, egg yolks, honey, rum or brandy and vanilla until combined. Beat in the remaining flour, cardamom and salt, then continue to beat for 2 minutes or until a soft, smooth batter forms.
Step 3
Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form, then add to the dough. Use the dough hook to knead for 3–4 minutes or until combined. Add the fruits and mixed peel and knead until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 6 hours or until well risen.
Step 4
Grease the sides of six 250ml (1 cup) dariole moulds and line the bases with non-stick baking paper. Divide the mixture among the prepared moulds — the moulds should be half full. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until the dough has risen to the tops of the moulds.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the moulds on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a kulich comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 2 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6
To make the icing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, adding 1–2 teaspoons of water or enough to form a thick glaze. Stand the cakes upright and drizzle over the icing, allowing it to run down the sides a little. Decorate with sugar flowers and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the icing to set before serving.
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