Russian Kulich

Fact….Russian Kulich is delicious.

My parents got me an amazing bread maker for my birthday this year. I’ve really been getting a lot of use out of it lately: at least one loaf a week. Joe and I use the bread in sandwiches (like this reeeally good one from martha stewart), with meals, and as a breakfast alternative when we run out of milk. I’ll admit that I take the easy way out by using a bread maker…but I say why not! As long as you have a good quality machine and ingredients, your bread will be awesome.

I’ve made tens of loaves and have loved each one for its own unique character and crumb, but my current favorite is the Russian Kulich. This recipe comes directly from the manual for my bread maker. I nixed the dried fruit b/c I don’t particularly like fruits in bread. Here’s the basic recipe:

the ingredients before i made a mess in the kitchen

If you leave out the dried fruit (like me), then I’d recommend adding 0.5 cup slivered almonds in the add cycle.

Today I substituted the last 1/4 cup of bread flour for whole wheat flour. I also added 1 T. of vital wheat gluten to give the yeast an extra boost to combat the wheat. This substitution added a bit more flavor, as whole wheat should! It’s also just plainpretty.

yummm

Enjoy!