Easter Kulich with Orange and Candied Fruits

Heat the milk to 36 degrees. It should not be hot or cold.

Gradually add half a cup of sugar and stir.

Gradually add one cup of sifted flour and mix.

Add another cup of flour so that the starter gets the consistency of thick sour cream.

Cover the container with plastic wrap and a towel. Leave in a warm place for 30–35 minutes until the dough rises twice in volume.

Prepare the kulich molds. Line them with parchment paper.

Grease the bottom of the form with vegetable oil. Place a parchment circle — it will stick to the bottom. Grease the circle with oil.

Melt 125 g of butter and set aside to cool.

Separate the yolks from the whites. Leave 4 yolks in a separate bowl. Place 2 whites in the refrigerator for the glaze. Leave the remaining 2 whites on the table for the dough.

Whisk 4 egg yolks and half a cup of sugar into a thick pale foam. Transfer to a separate bowl.

Whip 2 egg whites with a pinch of salt on low speed with a mixer until light and foamy.

Pour boiling water over the candied fruits and set aside.

Add the whisked egg yolks to the dough and mix gently.

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar. Gradually add 2 cups of sifted flour and stir gently.

Gradually add the whipped egg whites and another cup of flour. Mix well.

Add the cooled melted butter, another cup of flour and mix with a spoon.

Knead the dough by hand.

Place the dough on a floured board and check the quality of the kneading. Cut off a piece of dough with a dry knife. It should not stick to the knife. The knife should remain dry. The dough inside should be uniform.

Transfer the dough to a bowl, dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Leave in a warm place to rise for an hour.

Drain the water from the candied fruits and place them on a paper towel to dry.

Cut the zest from the orange and chop it any way you like.

Place the dough on an oiled surface and knead it.

Make a funnel in the dough and pour the candied fruits and orange zest into it. Close the funnel with dough from the edges and knead until the candied fruits and zest are evenly distributed.

Place the prepared molds on a baking sheet and distribute the dough into them. Separate dough balls sized so they fill 1/3 of the mold height. Fold the edges of the dough inward so the top of the kulich is smooth.

Cover the filled forms with paper towels and let them rise for another hour.

Pour 1 cm of water onto the lower baking tray in the oven. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Water is needed so that the bottom of the kulich doesn't burn.

Place the baking tray with molds in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50 minutes.

Remove 2 remaining egg whites from the refrigerator for the glaze.

Beat 2 egg whites on low speed with a mixer, gradually adding powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Set aside 1 tablespoon of glaze for coloring. Grate the beets and squeeze out the juice. Add the juice to the set-aside glaze.

Remove the kulichi from the oven. Check for doneness by inserting a long toothpick from the top. The toothpick should come out dry and clean.

Carefully remove the Easter cakes from the molds.

Dip the Easter cakes into white glaze and place on a dish. The glaze can also be applied with a spatula. Decorate with colored glaze using a toothpick.