Sunday, April 19, 2009

Kulich and Paskha



This year I was very pleased with the way my kulich and paskha turned out.
These notes on well known recipes are for Abby, my son's fiance.

Kulich:
1/2 cup of hot milk + 100 g flour - make a paste
1/2 cup of warm milk + 57g of fresh yeast (1 package) + 100 g flour - mix together
Combine both mixes and let stand for about an hour (covered).
Take 10 egg yolks and mix with 250 g sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (mix until egg yolks turn lemony-yellow, about 3 min). Take half of this mixture and combine with the yeast mixture + 250 g flour. Mix well. Let stand for another hour.
Add another half of the yolk mixture and another 250 g of flour. Mix well and add 200 g melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/3 teaspoons of cardamom and nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons of rum. Add flower (3-4 handfuls) if necessary (a tricky part), and mix until the dough stops sticking to your hands (it took me about 10 min by hand). Let rise for another hour. Add 1 cup of raisins, let rise for 15 min, and put in buttered coffee cans, or any containers that will help make a well-known kulich shape. Let rise for 10 min, and bake at 350 F until ready (about 30 min).
When cooled off a bit, make a paste of confectioner's sugar + lemon juice and cover the top of kulich.


Paskha:

3 lb of Farmer cheese
1 1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/2 lb butter
1/4 lb sour cream
3 eggs
1 lb sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins
Mix Farmer cheese with butter, sugar, sour cream, whipped heavy cream, eggs, vanilla and raisins. Place in a cheese cloth inside the mold. Place some weight on top, and put everything in a fridge (a plate to collect liquid should be under the mold).
Let stand this way for two days, unmold when ready to eat.

A low calorie dessert I use instead (not for Easter) is Farmer cheese mixed with sour cream and raisins.

4 comments:

Mary, Mary... said...

I'm going to print out those recipes and try them, especially the paskha. Texan Episcopalians don't have such traditions, unless you count milk punch. Bourbon, milk, and a little grated nutmeg. Served on ice after Easter services. cheers!

argus said...

Thank you! Good luck with paskha. Let me know how it turned out.

Faina said...

Everythinhg is soooooo beautiful! And you have real mold for Paskha, it is so rare nowadays!
Eggs are very beautiful, and design is great and simple to do, I love it!
Faina (Vereteno)

argus said...

Faina, thank you! I bought this mold at the shop belonging to the Russian Cathedral of Mother of God of the Sign in New York.