Russian Kulich

Ingredients:

1 pkt hot roll mix

1/4 cup very warm water

3 eggs at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp saffron threads

3 tbl butter soft

1/4 cup raisins light or dark

1/3 cup candied cherries halved

1/3 cup slivered almonds toasted

Lemon Glaze:

1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tbl lemon juice

Cooking Instructions:

Sprinkle yeast from the hot roll mix into the warm water in a large bowl. Stir until yeast dissolves. Add eggs, sugar and saffron threads; Beat well until well blended. Beat in about half of the roll mix until smooth. With electric mixer, set at medium speed, beat in the butter until it is absorbed into the dough. Stir in the remaining roll mixture with a spoon, let rise in a warm place, away from any draft, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size. Meanwhile, pour flavouring over the raisins, and cherries in a small bowl and let stand to soak, stirring often while the dough rises. Stir dough down, then add fruit mixture and almonds. Stir until evenly spread throughout dough. Grease well a 3 Lb shortening tin or 2,1 Lb coffee tins, and turn the dough into these. Cover with a towel and again, let rise for an hour to an hour and a half. When doubled in size, bake in a moderate oven, 350F for about 40 minutes or until the bread is richly brown on top and gives a hollow sound when tapped. Turn out onto a plate to let cool. Pour lemon glaze over the top. letting it dribble down the sides of the bread. Decorate with fruits and nuts if you wish. To serve, cut off the top of the kulich then cut as many round slices as needed. Replace top to prevent bread drying out. Half the rounds and arrange around bread on the plate. Lemon Glaze: Combine 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar with 1 Tbsp lemon juice in a small cup. Stir with a spoon until smooth and pour over kulich.

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