Russian Easter Bread Recipe

This traditional Russian Easter Bread recipe could also be called Babka, meaning sweet yeast cake. In Bulgaria it is called Kozunak. Russian's call it Kulich. Anyway you name it try this Easter bread recipe for a nice addition to your Easter dinner or holiday.

1 Cup milk, warm
1 tablespoon or 1 pkg. Yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
½ Cup warm water
2 eggs
10 egg yolks
¾ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest about 2 lemons
juice from one lemon
¾ Cup raisins
5 1/2-6 cups flour

Warm milk and pour into mixing bowl. Warm water and add sugar and yeast. Set aside and let dissolve. In mixing bowl add 2 eggs and egg yolks. Save some egg whites in the fridge for brushing on the top later. Melt butter and add in bowl. Rub the outside of your lemons with a small grater and add to mixing bowl. Add in vanilla, sugar and lemon juice. Blend all together. Add in 2 cups flour and yeast mixture. Blend together. Add raisins and remaining flour to make a nice soft ball.

Add dough to a floured surface and knead several minutes. Knead in raisins. Place a tablespoon of oil in a large clean bowl and add your dough. Cover with a towel and let rise 1 hour. Punch down and rise another 30 minutes.

Shape dough into loaves if making loaves or shape into a braid, rolls, whatever you'd like. In a typical Russian Easter Bread recipe the dough is often placed in clean coffee cans or gallon cans at this point. Filling about ½ full. Cover your dough and let rise another 30 minutes.

Take out your egg whites you saved before and add 2 tablespoons water. Sprinkle with sugar. Brush tops of your dough and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Time will vary as to the size and shape of your bread.

** This Easter Bread recipe is similar in many countries including Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova and Poland.