Here is how to make a Kulich or also Kuhlich. Recipe is from this blog Windows to Russia…
Recipe From Russia: A Very Simple Kulich! (Easter Pie or Cake)
The photo above is a picture of the kulich that was home made by a babushka of some students of ours, from English lessons. From what I understand, is that she was able to use the ovens and special cake pans at work and all the crew was able to make kulich’s for family this year. I have said before that payment for services in Russia are most likely to come in the form of goods and treats, not cash. In this case this is a very important treat, because it has to do with Easter…
We normally buy a kulich, but this year we lucked out and received this wonderful one made by hand for family and we are very happy to be included in the family part. That is Russia for you and people never forget others as holidays approach and here in Russia we have Easter coming. Oh yes – I realize that you thought Easter was over! But it is not. Easter is this Sunday on the 15th of April…
What is a Kulich?
The classic kulich an Easter cake or bread, was begun several days to a week before Easter. It contains candied fruit, almonds, and raisins, flavored with rum and saffron, and prepared like a bread. It was always baked in a special kind of pan – tall and cylindrical, sort of like a coffee can. When the cake was done, it was decorated with white frosting drizzled down the sides. On the side, spelled out in pieces of candied fruit, were the letters XB, representing the Cyrillic letters for “Christos voskres” — “Christ is risen.”
Often the kulich is carried to church and set out on long tables to be blessed by the priest. The cake sometimes forms a hat shape, since the dough may times swells above the can and becomes wider. Russians often cut off the hat type brim and place it in the center of a large serving plate. The cake is then cut in half horizontally and sliced in thin layers. These slices are arranged around the brim. Sorta as a flower like shape. Regardless how the cake comes out it is to be sliced and served to all guests and friends on Easter…
I know for a fact that many people always have several Kulich’s around before Easter, because everyone has to eat a Kulich ahead of time because it is just too hard to have treats laying around un eaten all day. But only the blessed kulich is for the Easter Sunday. So make sure that several are made, when you make a Kulich because someone will try to munch it…
But a Russian babushka knows this… 🙂
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…