With spring well on its way and nature waking up after a long winter, every Russian soul is filled with joy. And our happiness has not only to do with the warm weather, the sun, the first green leaves but also because of the opportunity отпраздновать Великий день – день святой Пасхи (to celebrate a great feast: Holy Easter).
Easter which is never celebrated before March 22, comes on the first Sunday following the spring equinox and the full moon of March.
Many of us can’t call ourselves true Christians, but we happily get ready for this day. Already on the Thursday preceding Easter, housewives красят яйца (paint eggs), пекут куличи (bake kulich, Easter cakes) and prepare творожную пасху (Easter cheese-cake). Of course, it is now possible to buy all these products directly in the shops, but preparing these cakes ourselves is much more interesting… and tastier.
Painting the eggs
Try to boil chicken or quail eggs with onion skins for 12-15 minutes, they will have a bright, golden-brown color. If you keep the eggs in a decoction of young birch leaves, they will turn green, and saffron will make them bright-yellow.
Recipe for Kulich
as our grandmothers used to prepare it
- В 400 г. муки добавить 10 г. сухих дрожжей, 80 г. сахара, полчайной ложки соли, 20 г. ванилина.
- 2 яйца, 250 мл. молока, 100 г. сливочного масла – все смешать.
- Соединить первую часть со второй, вымесить тесто, чтобы оно отставало от рук.
- По желанию можно всыпать по 50 г. изюма и орехов.
- Выложить в высокую форму, накрыть полотенцем и оставить в тёплом месте на час. Выпекать примерно 50 мин. при 180 градусах.
- Готовый кулич остудить, верх украсить глазурью из взбитых белков с сахарной пудрой.
- Mix 10 gr. of dry yeast with 400 gr. of flour, 80 gr. of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and 20 gr. vanilla.
- Mix 2 eggs, 250 ml of milk, 100 gr. of butter.
- Mix the two preparations and knead the dough until it comes away from your hand easily.
- Add 50 gr. of raisins and nuts to your taste.
- Give a tall form to the dough, cover with a towel, and place in a warm place for an hour.
- Place the dough in the oven for approximately 50 minutes at 180 °C.
- Let the cake cool down, decorate the top with crystallized and powdered sugar.
That’s it. Cover and set your table, call the guests and Христос Воскресе! (Christ is risen!)
