Kulich (russian Easter Cake)

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 4 clean 14-ounce food cans
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds, or as needed

Recipe

Cook Time: 45 mins Ready Time: 13 hrs 45 mins


• place golden raisins into a bowl, drizzle with , and allow raisins to soften overnight.
• mix 1 teaspoon sugar into lukewarm water in a bowl until sugar dissolves. stir yeast into the water and let stand until the yeast mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.
• heat milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until very warm but not simmering. stir in saffron threads and cardamom, remove from heat, and let the milk mixture stand until lukewarm.
• transfer yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. stir milk mixture, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour into the yeast mixture, beating until the batter is smooth. cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
• mix melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, honey, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl. beat butter mixture into the batter, then beat in eggs and egg yolk.
• mix 2 1/2 cups of flour into the dough. sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup flour a work surface and knead dough until it holds together, about 5 minutes; knead soaked golden raisins and 1/2 cup almonds into the dough until well distributed.
• form dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl; turn dough around in the bowl several times to coat outside of dough. cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• punch down dough, knead a few times, and divide dough into 4 pieces. coat inside of clean 14-ounce cans with butter. line cans with parchment paper. roll each piece of dough into a ball, place into a can, and press dough lightly against the inside bottom of can.
• cover cans with a cloth and allow dough to rise to the top of the cans, about 45 minutes.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• place a baking sheet into the oven; place the cans of dough upright into oven on baking sheet. bake until kulich are risen and lightly browned, 45 to 50 minutes.
• let kulich cool in the cans for about 15 minutes before gently removing from cans to finish cooling on racks.
• beat egg in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy; beat in confectioners' sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. beat lemon juice into frosting.
• frost the tops of the kulich and sprinkle tops with 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds. refrigerate leftovers.