Best Russian Holiday Bread Recipes

EASY RUSSIAN RYE BREAD (RZHANOVI KHLEB)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• If you are uncertain about your yeast, proof it before starting. In a large warmed bowl or the warmed bowl of a stand mixer , dissolve yeast in water. Stir in corn syrup and set aside for 5 minutes or until yeast foams.
• Add 2 1/2 cups dark rye flour and beat with a spoon until smooth. Stir in salt. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes.
• Add 2 more cups flour, gradually, mixing after each addition. When dough becomes difficult to stir, knead by hand or by machine, adding up to 1 cup additional flour, if needed, until dough is stiff but slightly sticky. Form dough into a ball and place in a clean, dry, warmed bowl (do not coat with cooking spray). Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Punch down dough and, with floured hands, form into a loaf. Place in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour (it probably won't rise above the pan).
• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or longer or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F. (If you've used all rye flour, the top won't brown much, so don't measure doneness by that. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.)
• Serve and enjoy!

RUSSIAN BLACK BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients into the bread machine in order suggested by the manufacturer.
• Use the whole wheat, regular crust setting.
• After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on a cake rack, and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing.

RUSSIAN EASTER BREAD (KULICH)

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Heat milk, sugar, butter, saffron, and salt in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
• Meanwhile, stir together yeast, warm water, and pinch of sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Put flour in a large bowl and make a large well in center. Lightly beat 3 eggs and add to well along with milk and yeast mixtures. Carefully stir together with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Put dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning to coat with oil, and let rise, covered with a clean kitchen towel, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 3 hours.
• Punch down dough and let rise again, covered with towel, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Form loaves:
• Generously butter soufflé dishes. Punch down dough and divide in half. Loosely wrap 1 piece in plastic wrap and set aside. Cut away one third of remaining piece of dough and reserve, then roll remaining two thirds into a large ball and transfer to a soufflé dish.
• Roll reserved piece of dough into an 18-inch-long rope on work surface with palms of your hands. Cut rope into 3 equal pieces and lay pieces vertically side by side on work surface, about 1/4 inch apart. Gather 3 ends farthest from you and press them together, then braid strands, pressing together other ends to secure braid. Lay braid over top of dough in soufflé dish (trim braid if using coffee cans). Form another loaf with remaining dough in same manner.
• Cover loaves with clean kitchen towel and let rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours (loaves will rise about 1 inch above rims of dishes).
• Bake loaves:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly beat remaining egg with a large pinch of salt, then brush egg over top of each loaf. Bake loaves until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 1 hour. Turn loaves out onto a rack, then turn right side up and cool completely.