Russian Holiday Bread Recipes

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients into the bread machine in order suggested by the manufacturer.
• Use the whole wheat, regular crust setting.
• After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on a cake rack, and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.

RUSSIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine yeast, water, 1/4 cup white sugar, and milk. Mix until the yeast and sugar have dissolved.
• Stir in 1 cup flour until well blended.
• Cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer , combine butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, and egg yolks.
• Add yeast-flour mixture, combining thoroughly.
• Add vanilla, cardamom, salt, and enough of the 3 to 3 1/2 cups flour to make a soft dough. Stir in raisins, almonds, and orange rind.
• In a small bowl, beat 2 reserved egg whites until stiff.
• Fold them into the dough. Knead by machine or hand until a smooth and elastic dough forms, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place in greased bowl, turning once to coat both sides.
• Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
• Coat a 2-pound coffee can or kulich pan with cooking spray.
• Punch down dough and knead a few times.
• Place it in the prepared pan, cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the can.
• Heat oven to 400 F. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 F and bake another 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester or long toothpick or thin skewer comes out clean.
• Remove kulich from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Unmold from the can and cool on a wire rack.
• Gather the ingredients.
• While kulich is baking, prepare the glaze in a small bowl by combining the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice , almond extract, and enough warm water to make a smooth, runny glaze.
• Pour over the top of the kulich allowing it to run down the sides of the cake.

RUSSIAN HOLIDAY BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, butter, salt, lemon zest, cardamom and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Beat in the almonds, citron, orange peel, cherries and raisins. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Shape into two loaves. Place in two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes., Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.