Make it an Easter holiday to remember by filling your whole house with the rich smell of bread! This basic recipe is easy to provide just the size needed for a quick delicious Easter treat. Tried and true simple recipe that yielded 4 small tins that will be shared with friends. Happy Easter!

Grease pans or tins. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Baking time about 40 minutes.

Ingredients listed makes the basic bread needed for kulich

5 3/4 to 6 1/4 c all purpose flour

1 pkg active dry yeast

2 1/4 milk

1/4 c sugar

1 tbsp butter

1 1/2 t salt

recipe shows 1 c raisins and 1/2 c walnuts (which was added to the milk mixture to soften)

****

Combine 2 1/2 c four and yeast in big bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter and salt just till warm (120 to 130 deg) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture in big bowl. Beat well using a wooden spoon, steadily stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn the dough ball out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 6 60 8 min) Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease dough ball. Cover, let rise in a warm place till double in size (45 to 60 min).
Pouch dough down (refer to any basic bread recipe as a guide). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest 10 min.

Prepare dough for pans or tins by balling up with all seams at the bottom of desired pan or tin. Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double in size (30 to 40min)

Bake in a 375 degree oven about 40 minutes or till bread sounds hollow when you tap the top.

Immediately remove bread from pans or tins when removed from oven. Cool on wire racks. This list of ingredients makes 2 loaves or about 4 small pan or tin portions.
For the final step, frost this kulich with any pre-made white frosting and top with candied dessert sprinkles.

****

Making this recipe to suit your own taste: add raisins, dried cranberries & raisins, nuts, dates, currants, pre-packaged dried fruit used in fruit cakes, vanilla flavoring, spices; cinnamon, nutmeg; anything that makes this recipe your own. SUGGESTION: if adding the dried raisins, date, etc add to the milk mixture to soften. Another option, up to two eggs can be added as well.
Enjoy