Easter Kulick with Paska
Submitted by Gilda
Raisin-studded sweet bread baked in coffee cans pairs with rich farmer cheese spread studded with cherries and nuts for a stunning Eastern European Easter centerpiece tradition.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
20COOK
6 1/6 hrsREADY
6½ hrsThis is the bread that turns your Easter table into a celebration worthy of the season.
Kulick (the tall, cylindrical sweet bread) gets its dramatic height from baking in coffee cans, rising into golden-topped towers studded with raisins and almonds. The paska (the sweet cheese spread) is where things get decadent: farmer cheese gets whipped with butter, egg yolks, cream, and chopped cherries, then drained in cheesecloth until it’s thick enough to spread. Drizzle the warm bread with lemony glaze and serve slices smeared with cold paska for a sweet-tangy combo that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe.
This makes enough for a crowd, which is exactly what Easter brunch demands.
Pro Tips
- Grease coffee cans thoroughly and only fill halfway to allow for rise
- Drain the paska for a full 3 hours with a weight on top for spreadable consistency
- Use farmer cheese (dry curd cottage cheese) for authentic texture in the paska
- Make the bread a day ahead since it slices better when fully cooled
Ingredients
Directions
*** Bread ***
Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Stir in milk, sugar, eggs, shortening, 2/ cups flour, raisins, almonds and vanilla.
Beat until smooth with electric mixer.
Mix in enough flour remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead adding remaining flour until smooth and elestic, about 5 minutes.
Cover with saran wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
Divide in half and let rise about 1/ hours until double.
Place each half in a well greased 1-lb coffee can.
Let rise to top of cans (about 40 minutes).
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃). Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until brown.
Remove and drizzle with frosting mixture while still warm and serve with Paska.
*** Frosting ***
Mix all ingredients together.
*** Paska ***
Mix the butter and sugar together until smooth.
Add remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Put in a cheese cloth to drain out liquid (about 3 hours), using a weight.
Remove from cloth and refrigerate.
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