Easter cake with cream, candied fruit and dried cherries
8 servings
540 minutes
Creamy kulich with candied fruits and dried cherries is an exquisite version of traditional Russian Easter pastry. Its history dates back to ancient Slavic spring renewal celebrations when kulich symbolized wealth and abundance. The cream makes the dough particularly tender and airy, while the candied fruits and dried cherries add a subtle fruity sweetness with a hint of tartness. This kulich is a true celebration of taste and aroma that fills the home with warmth and coziness. It is enjoyed in a festive setting, cut into pieces and shared with loved ones. The sugar glaze and decorations make it not only delicious but also aesthetically pleasing. It is the perfect conclusion to the Easter feast that delights not only with its taste but also with its soulful tradition.
1
For the dough: mix 150 g of flour, 150 g of cream, and 6 g of fresh yeast and leave for 3 hours at 25 degrees.
- Wheat flour: 650 g
- Cream 33%: 300 ml
- Fresh yeast: 40 g
2
For the test: mix the starter, remaining flour, cream, 70 g of sugar, and salt (it's easier to do this in a dough mixer or food processor with a hook attachment), knead the dough while gradually adding the yolks. The dough should be uniform. If the dough is hard to knead, you can add a little cream. Then add another 120 g of sugar and room temperature butter in small portions. Add the yeast and knead for another 2 minutes.
- Wheat flour: 650 g
- Cream 33%: 300 ml
- Sugar: 240 g
- Salt: 6 g
- Egg yolk: 160 g
- Sugar: 240 g
- Butter: 200 g
- Fresh yeast: 40 g
3
Manually add candied fruits, raisins, and cherries to the prepared dough, and let the dough rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Candied fruit: 200 g
- Seedless raisins: 100 g
- Dried cherries: 100 g
4
Knead the dough again by hand and distribute it into molds. The dough should only fill half of the mold. Leave it for 3 hours — during this time, the dough should increase by 2-2.5 times.
5
Bake for 45–60 minutes at 160 degrees. If you have a cooking thermometer at home, check the internal temperature before taking the kulich out of the oven—it should be 96 degrees or higher.
6
Cover the finished kulich with a clean towel and let them cool completely.
7
For sugar icing: mix 50 g of sugar, water, and glucose, heat it up to boiling, then leave for 5 hours, after which blend until smooth and coat the cooled kulichs. You can decorate the kulichs with nuts and candied fruits on top.
- Sugar: 240 g
- Water: 15 ml
- Liquid glucose: 10 g
- Candied fruit: 200 g